During the event, the King spoke to many guests, including Stephen Schwarzman, the chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Blackstone. According to People magazine, Charles told Schwarzman that he was “so impressed by the music from the military”

The King called on US President Donald Trump to “renew” the bonds of friendship between America and the UK at this “critical time”.

He told the dinner guests, who included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and golfer Rory McIlroy: “And yes, we have had our moments of difficulty even in more recent history.

“When my mother visited in 1957, not the least of her tasks was to help put the ‘special’ back into our relationship after a crisis in the Middle East.”

Some of the guests laughed when the King said: “Nearly seventy years on, it is hard to imagine anything like that happening today…”

Today, the royal couple wrapped up their US trip with a visit to Virginia.

They joined residents at a “block-party” featuring food and entertainment to celebrate America, the creation of the nation’s Founding Fathers described by Charles in his Congress address as “bold and imaginative rebels with a cause”.

In one of America’s national parks, the King met one of the area’s indigenous communities and people involved in conservation initiatives and efforts to protect the natural environment, before he was made an honorary Junior Ranger.

Separately, the Queen visited a farm to highlight the work of America’s horse racing industry and the long-term links with the sport in the UK.