Full Breakdown
Fox News Hosts’ Remarks Prompt Escort at State Dinner for King Charles and Queen Camilla
5/1/2026, 2:08:39 PM
Core Event
At a Tuesday White House state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Fox News host Jesse Watters was escorted away after joking that if Washington’s bees didn’t sting, the guns would. Later, Fox host Greg Gutfeld made a separate remark about “horsing around” with the queen.
Background & Context
The visit was framed as a “charm offensive” to mend U.S.–U.K. ties after recent diplomatic spats. It occurred three days after a gunman attempted to breach the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, raising sensitivity to gun-related jokes. President Trump has repeatedly called Washington “lawless” and justified National Guard deployment as a historic corrective measure.
Key Figures & Groups
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were the honored guests. Fox hosts Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld appeared as panelists on “The Five.” President Donald Trump hosted the dinner. The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., provided crime data.
Data & Statistics
The Metropolitan Police Department reported a 30-year low in Washington, D.C., gun-related incidents in 2024. President Trump, however, claimed the city remained “lawless” and said crime numbers had “gone down like we wouldn’t believe.”
Why It Matters / Impact
The episode underscores how humor on sensitive topics can breach diplomatic protocol, especially after a recent gun-related security threat, and reflects ongoing debate over the administration’s narrative on crime in the capital.
Official Statements & Responses
President Trump described the National Guard deployment as a “historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor,” calling the day a “liberation day in D.C.” No comment from the British royal household or the White House about the jokes was reported.
Criticism & Opposition
Media outlets labeled the remarks “ill-judged,” “crass,” and “vile insults” that violated diplomatic etiquette. Observers noted the jokes were especially inappropriate given the recent gun-related threat and the broader political debate on crime.
On-the-Ground Reports
Watters told “The Five” that a staff member pulled him away from the queen after his comment. Gutfeld, also on the program, said he added a quip about “taking off with Camilla” to “horse around.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Metropolitan Police Department’s low-violence data contradicts President Trump’s claim that Washington is “lawless.” No official response from the royal household or clarification from the White House about the protocol breach appears in the sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “And then I said, ‘Well, you know, it was Washington, D.C., you know, if the bees don’t get you, the guns will,'” — Jesse Watters, Fox News host
- “I don’t know what I was saying. Ugh. I started mumbling.” — Jesse Watters, Fox News host
- “and then I took off with Camilla. Yeah, just to horse around.” — Greg Gutfeld, Fox News host
- “a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse. This is liberation day in D.C., and we’re going to take our capital back.” — President Donald Trump
