Melania Trump and Queen Camilla host students in AI and VR showcase at White House

Melania Trump and Queen Camilla highlighted tech-driven education as students used VR and smart glasses to explore history and cultural ties
Queen Camilla and First lady Melania Trump attend the state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on State visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)
Queen Camilla and First lady Melania Trump attend the state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on State visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: While Donald Trump and King Charles III held private discussions, First Lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla participated in a parallel engagement focused on education and innovation at the White House on Tuesday, April 28.

Joined by local middle school students at the White House tennis pavilion, the pair observed demonstrations of virtual reality technology.

Students used headsets to explore British landmarks such as Snowdonia, Stonehenge and Buckingham Palace, with live tablet displays showing their immersive views.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28: Queen Camila and First lady Melania Trump attend a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump and King Charles III will participate in a number of activities including a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, with the king later addressing a joint meeting of the United States Congress. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump attend a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on April 28, 2026, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Queen and first lady view artifacts enhanced with AI-enabled eyewear

In another section, students wore AI-enabled smart glasses that brought historical artifacts to life.

Items curated by the first lady included a bust of Winston Churchill, a portrait of John Adams, and traditional Staffordshire ceramics, linking the shared heritage of both nations.

President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III talk on stage during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III talk on stage during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Alongside the engagement, the royal couple and their hosts exchanged gifts reflecting centuries of UK-US ties.

King Charles presented President Trump with a framed facsimile of the 1879 design plans for the Resolute Desk, crafted from the British ship HMS Resolute and now a fixture in the Oval Office. 

Trump, in turn, gifted a custom facsimile of an 1785 letter from John Adams to John Jay, recounting Adams’s reception by King George III as the first US ambassador to Britain.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla talk at the White House on day one of the state visit on April 27, 2026 in Washington, D.C. The visit includes stops at the nation's capital, New York City, and Virginia, arranged to celebrate the United States of America's 250th anniversary of its independence. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett - Pool via Samir Hussein/WireImage)
First Lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla talk at the White House on day one of the state visit on April 27, 2026, in Washington, DC (Suzanne Plunkett - Pool via Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Modern craftsmanship meets tradition

Queen Camilla gifted Melania Trump a brooch by British designer Fiona Rae, noted for blending traditional techniques with advanced design technology, a nod to the first lady’s interest in innovation. 

Melania Trump presented the Queen with Tiffany & Co teaspoons from the 'English King Sterling Silver' collection and a jar of White House honey, reflecting Camilla’s well-known passion for beekeeping.



Melania Trump briefly tried on the smart glasses, while a student invited Queen Camilla to do the same. The Queen politely declined with a smile, creating a candid moment that reflected the relaxed and interactive nature of the event.

The engagement underscored efforts to merge historical education with emerging technologies, showcasing how digital tools can enhance learning while celebrating the longstanding cultural ties between the United States and the United Kingdom.

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