Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in New York yesterday, opening an eight-day American tour, their first official visit together to America after getting married in April. On an unusually warm November day, the royal itinerary began at ground zero.

“Our hearts go out to you,” Charles said, mentioning families of the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He said he and the duchess “were profoundly moved by what we saw – not just the scale of the outrage but the deeply distressing individual stories of heroism and of loss,” the Associated Press reported. Sixty-seven Britons died in the attacks on the twin towers, the largest single group from a country other than America.

After laying a bouquet of flowers, they went to nearby Hanover Square to dedicate a cornerstone to the British Memorial Garden, which is slated for completion this summer.

At midday, Charles headed to the United Nations, where he met with business leaders to discuss youth entrepreneurship in developing countries.

Last evening, the royal couple was at the Museum of Modern Art, where the receiving line included a few billionaires: David Rockefeller, Henry Kravis, and Ronald Lauder. The duchess wore an outfit of royal-blue velvet.

Staten Island’s Curtis High School Jazz Band provided the entertainment, and guests nibbled on canapes, including smoked salmon on tarragon-buttered toast and miniature salmon-crab cakes with remoulade sauce.

Among those enjoying the evening were Jim Dale, the voice of Harry Potter books on audio tapes; Michael Feinstein with Elaine Stritch; Yoko Ono and Jann Wenner; Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg; Ahmet and Mica Ertegun; Kent Barwick; Matthew and Cari Modine; Sting and Trudie Styler; Jay McInerney; Les Moonves; John McEnroe; journalists such as Cindy Adams and Barbara Walters, who was wearing Oscar de la Renta, and Arthur and Alexander Schlesinger.

Donald Trump and Melania Knauss arrived a bit later than most. Mr. Trump said he had met Charles several times; he called him “a great guy.”

The president of the New York Public Library, Paul LeClerc, said, “It’s great for him to be here with his wife. I’m hoping on the next trip, they’ll come to the library.”

Sports reporter Dan Hicks said he was going to ask Charles “what his golf handicap was.”

About 51 journalists came over from Britain, including 17 photographers, to cover this British invasion. Charles and the duchess are traveling with an entourage of 16 people.

Today, they are scheduled to have lunch and dinner with President Bush and the first lady. Their Washington sojourn will include a visit to the World War II memorial and the National Institute of Health for a program on osteoporosis. Their trip will conclude in the San Francisco Bay area, where they will visit an organic market and attend a play, among other things.

The New York Sun spoke with people last night at Soho House, a downtown New York gathering spot for Anglophiles and various Brits.

Most of those interviewed at the bar, such as hedge fund manager Darryl Goldstein, were not aware that the prince was in town. Commercial film producer Joe Masi did have some curiosity about the prince’s doings in town. “Where is he staying? I’m curious. I think you can tell a lot about people from what they choose to do when they visit New York,” Mr. Masi said.

Two decades ago, Charles and Lady Diana wowed America. Summing up the current trip, a reporter for Hello! magazine, Judy Wade, said, “It’s a charm offensive for Britain’s greatest ally.”