King Charles’ private US residence to sleep in – instead of the White House

His Majesty King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla are guests of US President Donald Trump for an official state visit. While there is guest accommodation inside the iconic White House, the President has opened his incredible guest house across the road for his extra special guests. It’s called Blair House and it has a fascinating history…

The history of the building 

© Alamy Stock Photo

The building was constructed in 1824 and is situated at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, just across from The White House. It was built for Joseph Lovell, the first Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, but it was then purchased by Francis Preston Blair in 1836, who worked for the 7th US President, Andrew Jackson, which is where the name comes from. When the White House has undergone renovations, it has temporarily hosted Presidents like Harry S. Truman. It is also where Presidents-elect spend the night before their inauguration before moving into the White House.

The interior of Blair House

© Bettmann Archive

© Bettmann Archive

There are an array of images on the official White House website of the amazing interior of this residence. Historic photographs show one of the bedrooms and the dining space. One of the guest rooms, pictured in the 1960s shows it has a grand four-poster bed and floral accents. The dining area at Blair House features a striking chandelier that sparkles above the dinner table. 

Previous guests

© Getty Images

The guestbook of this house is a who’s who, including notable figures such as Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin and Charles de Gaulle. King Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II has also stayed at this residence multiple times. Her Majesty visited America several times, including in 1951, 1957, 1959, 1976, 1983, 1991, 2007 and 2010. 

King Charles’ US state visit so far

© AFP via Getty Images

King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down on US soil on Monday for an official visit. They were met with a red carpet off the plane and have been honoured with pomp and ceremony ever since. The first engagement was a garden party at The White House, where Charles and Camilla mingled with guests in the sunshine.

The second day included a ceremonial welcome then  the King had a meeting with the President, while Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump attended a separate engagement. The royal couple were then guests of honour at a State Banquet and Charles made a captivating speech. For all the latest on day three, check out our live blog.