Prince Charles and Camilla certainly brought their royal panache to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday as they attended a black tie affair hosted by the head of thePrince's charity in the U.S, Barby Allbritton. The decadent evening comes aftera full day of sightseeing in the capital.
Wantingto be sure to make a splash during her American visit, the Duchess of Cornwallwore a stunning embroidered silver and beige floor-length gown complete with adramatic cape in the silvery hue. She paired the outfit with matching shoes anda chunky pearl necklace.
Theirgracious host Barby, who donned a hot pink frock, was married to the late media magnate JoeAllbritton.The couple was so closeto the British royals that they were two of a few Americans invited to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Prior to thelavish affair, Charles and Camilla kept busy seeing several sites throughoutthe D.C. area. The royal couple chatted with students as they visited landmarks during their four-day trip to the U.S. and Camilla even took a selfiebefore continuing on with U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell by her side. Despite thecold temperatures, Charles and Camilla took a 20-minute tour of the Martin Luther Kingmemorial and took time to read his quotations engraved in the stone.
As a gift, HarryJohnson, the president of the foundation that built the King memorial, gave theroyal couple a stone from the memorial's granite and they later visited the LincolnMemorial. Their historical tour then took them to Mount Vernon where they weremet by the Governor and First Lady of Virginia, Terry and Dorothy McAuliffe,and toured the mid-17th century estate where George Washingtonlived.
Also on theirbusy itinerary was a stop at the National Archives to view the 1297 Magna Cartaand the Declaration of Independence. The Prince was amused when he was shown atelegram from the U.S. embassy in London to the Secretary of State, sent in1957 regarding Charles', then 8 years old, toy car. Camilla, meanwhile, visitedthe Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Charles later gave a10-minute speech on environmental policy and the dangers of accumulatingplastic waste in the world's oceans at an event at the Hay Adams hotel. "Althoughthe evidence surrounding the links between plastic waste and human health arenot yet clear," the Prince said, citing a study that estimated that by 2025 there will be one ton of plastic in the oceans for every three tons offish. "I would tentatively suggest that they are unlikely tobe beneficial."
On Thursday, the royal couple will meet with President Obama followed by a shorttrip to Louisville,Kentucky on Friday where the Prince will give a keynote address to an audienceof health practitioners, business, faith and community leaders addressing linksbetween health and our natural environment.