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King Charles and Queen Camilla were treated to a sweet surprise by Donald Trump on the White House South Lawn during their state visit to the US. One of the first stops the King and Queen made was to tour the new beehives on the grounds.

Both royals are passionate beekeepers as King Charles keeps beehives at Highgrove House, while Queen Camilla produces her own honey at her home at Ray Mill House. On the White House South Lawn, the established hives house approximately 70,000 bees during peak summer months and collectively yield between 200 and 225 pounds of honey annually.

The harvested clover honey is used in White House meals, presented as official gifts, and donated to local food kitchens, with the bees also playing a crucial ecological role in pollinating nearby gardens.

Highgrove Gardens sells honey "produced from the myriad of royal bees who call Highgrove home." In addition, in the gardens of Balmoral and Highgrove, "bee-friendly flowers are planted in the garden to encourage wild bees and other pollinators," according to the official Royal Family website.

Melania Trump revealed the expansion to the executive residence's apiary programme last Friday, with the centrepiece being a hive crafted in the distinctive shape of the White House itself.

The four-day royal tour, timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence, arrives amid strained diplomatic relations stemming from President Trump's military campaign in Iran.

The Princess of Wales is also an avid beekeeper. On one engagement earlier this year, Prince William said, "Catherine's got her own bees. She knows a lot about bees."

In 2021, she brought honey from her hives, which she keeps at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, to an engagement at the Natural History Museum, telling children, "This came specially from my beehive. Every time you see a bee, say thank you so much because they make delicious honey."