Do Kate Middleton and Prince William Have a Big Trip to the U.S. Planned for Next Year?

Kate Middleton and Prince William could be headed across the pond very soon.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were recently hosted by the British royal family in the United Kingdom for a state visit, and it's possible that the Prince and Princess of Wales could be heading to the United States in 2026.

As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary next year, Trump will likely invite British royals to some of the surrounding festivities. Queen Elizabeth visited the U.S. in 1976 to mark the nation's 200th anniversary of its independence from Britain, where she spoke in Philadelphia and expressed the monarchy’s “sincere gratitude” to the founding fathers for having “taught Britain a very valuable lesson.”

While King Charles and Queen Camilla may be planning the trip stateside, it's also possible that Prince William and Princess Kate will represent the crown at anniversary events.

While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lived in California since 2020, they likely won't be involved in any 250th anniversary celebrations, as they stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family.

It's also possible that Prince William could make a special visit to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is being hosted in 16 cities across North America, with the championship match held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The royal heir has previously shown his support for England's national team, who have already qualified for the World Cup. When the Welsh national team qualified in 2022, he also cheered them on. Currently, Wales' national team still has a chance to qualify for 2026; they will face off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first round of a mini play-in tournament on March 26, 2026.

While William made a solo visit to New York City in 2023, where he attended the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit and also went for an under-the-radar run in Central Park, the Prince and Princess of Wales were last in the U.S. together in 2022 for the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Boston.

A 2026 visit to the U.S. would also be a reunion for the royal couple and the Trumps.

Princess Kate, in particular, played a major role in the success of the state visit in September. She debuted a stunning look for the state banquet and seemed to thoroughly charm the president, who called her “radiant" in his remarks.

"She obviously amused him,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward told PEOPLE following the visit. "She is just a doyenne of perfect manners... She would be very aware that the most important person there was the King, but she can’t help that all eyes are on her."

"She is definitely showing traits of being a remarkable future queen," Seward said, adding, "She has the most beautiful smile, which captivates everyone. It’s just magical."

Princess Kate also accompanied Melania on a rare outing without the president. The pair seemed to have a great time visiting a group of young children involved in the U.K.'s Scouts Squirrels program, 

Seward observed Melania's positive rapport with the Princess of Wales throughout their visit, saying, "She chatted to Kate quite a lot. Everybody wants to talk to Kate."

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Asked if the Princess of Wales is the royal family's "secret weapon," Seward answered simply: "She is the weapon, not a secret one."