King Charles III and Queen Camilla Honor 9/11 Victims During Historic NYC Visit

King Charles III and Queen Camilla spent Wednesday in New York City, paying their respects at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Joined by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the King and Queen placed a ceremonial bouquet at one of the memorial’s reflecting pools to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the 2001 terror attacks.

The gesture held deep personal meaning for the families of the victims, including British citizens Michael and Christine Egan, who were killed in the attacks. Jonathan Egan, who lost his father and aunt, met with the royals and noted their genuine warmth.

"They did a lot more than just grace us with their presence," Egan said. "They were so approachable; even people in the back, they made sure they said hello."

During the visit, Charles and Camilla met with first responders and a delegation of high-ranking officials, including NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who spoke with the King, noted that the visit was deeply important to him as the city approaches the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

"I got to talk to him and he said he was honored to be here," Menin said. "It was very important to him to lay the wreath and he knows with the 25th anniversary what that means to NYC."

The visit to the World Trade Center site unfolded under heavy security, with police snipers and a reinforced perimeter securing the area. Despite the tight restrictions, crowds of fans gathered for hours to catch a glimpse of the first reigning British monarch to visit the city in 16 years.

Among them was Maria Watkins, who traveled from Oxford, Connecticut, with a British flag in hand. "I'm hoping to get a glance at least a glance at King Charles," she said. "It would be a dream come true for me. In my heart, we never really broke off from them. He's still my king."

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