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After welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the U.K. last September, King Charles and Queen Camilla will head to the U.S. in 2026. The trip will reportedly take place in April. Several events will happen in the U.S. to mark the country’s 250th anniversary, and King Charles’ visit will be a “major moment” ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

But the king and queen aren’t the only royals who will take a major trip abroad. Prince William is set to travel to the U.S., too. One staffer who used to work for the family believes the Prince of Wales’ trip, tied to the World Cup, will be a state visit with the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) to “stroke a certain ego.” Another is convinced the couple is headed for a long-haul overseas trip to a different country.

Why Prince William and Kate are due for a joint long-haul overseas trip

Grant Harrold was King Charles’s butler for seven years. During his time working for the now-monarch, Harrold’s duties included those of valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver. He also looked after Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate whenever they stayed at Highgrove House.

Speaking on behalf of AceOdds, Harrold told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “I think it’s very likely the Waleses will undertake a long-haul overseas tour in 2026. We haven’t seen a major trip from them in several years, but that is likely to change. As the future of the monarchy, overseas tours are a key part of their role. These visits require long-term planning, so preparations may already be underway.”

Harrold added that the royals could host more visits as well. He explained, “We had three State Visits in 2025, which is higher than usual, and I expect more in 2026. They are an effective way to showcase Britain at its best and can be extremely valuable diplomatically, so another visit is certainly possible.”

Another former butler says Kate will join Prince William for the U.S. tour to ‘stroke an ego’

Another former royal employee opined that the Waleses will make a trip to the U.S. together because the king wants to lean on them more now. Plus, a certain ego needs to be stroked.

Paul Burrell began working in the royal household at 18, serving as Queen Elizabeth II‘s personal footman. In 1987, he was moved to Charles and Diana’s household. When they separated, Burrell remained on staff and served as the princess’s butler until her tragic death in 1997.

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Speaking on behalf of OLBG, Burrell told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “I think that the king is going to rely more and more on William and Kate because he knows that they are the future. He knows they are the most important and most powerful armor in his arsenal. And he’s going to rely on them to pincer his visit to America. It’ll be a two-pronged attack.”

Burrell continued, “The king and queen will go first. Then William and Kate are going to follow behind them to finish off the business. It’s important for Britain. It’s important for America that the royal family can prove their worth. They are specially placed to please an American president.

“Kate played a blinder when the president came to visit here because she charmed him, and he’ll never forget that. We’re dealing with a president who has a huge ego, so you’re going to have to stroke that ego. And nobody does it better than the royal family.”

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