King Charles hosted in Trump’s ‘tacky’ gold decor in the Oval Office
Photos have resurfaced of King Charles’ first White House visit in 1970, and people are taking note of how drastically the Oval Office has changed over the last 50 years during his King Charles State Visit with Trump
The British monarch and Queen Camilla touched down in Washington D.C. on April 27 (Image: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP via Getty Images)
Following King Charles’ recent White House visit, observers have noted significant changes to the building’s interior design since his last appearance.
The British monarch and Queen Camilla touched down in Washington D.C. on April 27 for meetings with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. This represented Charles’s inaugural U.S. visit as reigning monarch and the first state visit by a British Monarch since the late Queen Elizabeth was received by George Bush in May 2007.
On Wednesday, the royals stopped in New York City to pay respects at the 9/11 memorial, with plans to conclude their trip Thursday in Virginia, one of the original 13 colonies. The state visit commemorates the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.
While this marks his first visit as King, Charles has traveled to the U.S. previously, including prior White House visits. Resurfaced photographs from Charles’ initial White House appearance have sparked discussion about how the Oval Office has transformed over the past 50 years.
Oval Office then and now
Adrian Hilton shared comparison photographs of Charles at the White House from both eras. The caption stated, “The Oval Office has changed a bit since 1970.”
In the vintage photograph, a youthful Charles is seated beside Nixon in the Oval Office, where the interior design stands in stark contrast to the present day.
Back in 1970, the president’s office featured sparse decoration. Plain white walls displayed a single portrait hanging over the fireplace. Two bird sculptures adorned the mantle, with the centerpiece flanked by a pair of gold sconces.
Charles and Nixon are pictured seated before the fireplace in yellow armchairs, with the adjacent side tables largely bare. The Oval Office sofas matched the yellow hue of the chairs, all positioned atop blue carpeting.
This photograph now draws comparison to Charles’s 2026 Oval Office appearance. In the contemporary image, Charles and Trump are enveloped by gilded embellishments. The walls display at least 20 gold-framed portraits; the fireplace mantle holds nine gold vases and statues; at least 12 gold appliques decorate the walls and fireplace; and gold tables line the room’s edges.
Charles has made numerous visits to the U.S. during his lifetime, most recently traveling to Washington D.C. in 2018.
Social media users respond to Oval Office styling
Observers couldn’t help but note the distinctions. One commenter remarked, “God everything about the one on the right is so f****** tacky.
A third commented, “Yes, someone has gone overboard with the gold spray paint.”
One person commented, “Well, obviously, as each president redecorates the whole White House to his tastes. Isn’t that common knowledge?”
Another highlighted the age gap between Charles and the two presidents, posting, “charles photographed with two sitting us presidents 56 years apart and he’s younger than both of them.”