Biden Congratulates King Charles but Skips Coronation
President Biden congratulates King Charles III on his Coronation Day, highlighting the U.S.-U.K. friendship; First Lady Jill Biden represents the U.S. at the historic event.
May 6, 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden conveyed his congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their Coronation Day via a tweet. The message expressed pride in First Lady Jill Biden representing the United States in this historic occasion, and emphasized the enduring strength of the friendship between the U.S. and the U.K.
Although President Biden did not personally attend the coronation event in London, his wife and granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, acted as representatives for the United States. This continued the tradition of no American president ever attending a British coronation, as evidenced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower sending a delegation to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.
Jill Biden shared her excitement and honor in representing the U.S. for King Charles III’s coronation, the first in 70 years, through an Instagram post. Upon her arrival to the U.K., First Lady Jill Biden joined Kate, Princess of Wales, and Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, during the reception for heads of state at Buckingham Palace. Additionally, she met with Akshata Murty, the wife of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, at No. 10 Downing St.