US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump began a state visit to the UK on September 17. The two-day visit took place at the invitation of King Charles III, which was personally delivered by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to President Trump when he visited the US in late February.
Prime Minister Starmer described the move as “unprecedented” and “historic” at the time, as previous US presidents had only been invited by the British Royal Family once during their term in office. Mr Trump made a state visit to the UK in 2019 and was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II.
British media described this as a major event between the two countries. King Charles deployed “crown diplomacy” with the most solemn rituals to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Trump.
Air Force One carrying President Trump and Melania arrived in London on the night of September 16. After spending the night at Winfield House, the residence of US Ambassador to London Warren Stephens, Mr. Trump traveled by helicopter Marine One to the Walled Garden at Windsor Castle on the morning of September 17.
Landing a helicopter at Windsor Castle is a rare exception that the British Royal Family has made for Mr. Trump, because the structure, considered the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, is very sensitive to loud noises and vibrations emitted by helicopters.
Prince William and Princess Catherine welcomed President Trump and Melania at the helipad. King Charles and Queen Camilla then welcomed President Trump and Melania at the castle’s Victoria House, to a 41-gun salute.
King Charles and President Trump rode in the royal Irish State Coach, which passed through the castle grounds. This historic carriage, built in 1851, was used by Queen Victoria from 1861 and became the central means of transport for major British Royal events in the 19th century and later special occasions.
Mr. Trump often uses the Beast armored car on foreign trips, but this time, the US President seemed to enjoy sitting with King Charles in the four-horse carriage.
During his visit to the UK in 2019, Mr. Trump was unable to travel in this carriage due to security concerns from the US Secret Service. This time, the British Royal Family arranged a reception ceremony within the grounds of Windsor Castle, limiting public access, so that the US President could comfortably sit in a non-bulletproof carriage while still ensuring safety.
Following behind was the Scottish State Coach carrying Queen Camilla and Melania. Prince William and Princess Catherine shared the third carriage with Ambassador Stephens and his wife.
Britain also deployed 80 soldiers from the Royal Cavalry Regiment on horseback to accompany the carriages. Soldiers from the navy, air force, army and Royal Marines lined the route to the courtyard of Windsor Castle, where the welcoming ceremony for Mr. Trump was held.
The King of England and the President of the United States inspected an honor guard of soldiers in red uniforms and bearskin hats and then lunched together in the castle’s Banqueting Room. The menu for the banquet has not been announced.
After lunch, King Charles and Queen Camilla took President Trump and his wife on a tour of the Royal Collection’s American artifacts. The White House chief visited St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth II is buried, and laid a wreath.
The US President then walked down the red carpet to the East Lawn of the castle, witnessing 200 musicians perform the 17th-century Beating Retreat, a first for a visiting foreign leader.
The event concluded with a display by nine Hawk T1 aircraft from the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, which emitted red, white and blue smoke trails as they flew overhead. The display was originally scheduled to include four US F-35 fighter jets, but was cancelled due to unsuitable weather. Members of the British Royal Family and President Trump then moved inside the castle for tea.
The British Ministry of Defense described the solemn welcoming ceremony on September 17 as “unprecedented”, with the participation of 1,300 military personnel.
President Trump’s first day in the UK ended with a reception at Windsor Castle for 160 guests. The party took place at the massive, elaborately decorated 50-meter-long Waterloo table.
Mr. Trump doesn’t drink alcohol, but the bar still has a number of iconic libations, including a “trans-Atlantic whiskey sour” cocktail with marmalade, a nod to the Atlantic. The menu also includes two wines from 1945, a reference to Mr. Trump’s roles as the 45th and 47th presidents of the United States, and 1912, the year Mr. Trump’s mother was born.
“This is truly one of the greatest honors of my life,” President Trump said at the reception. He described the relationship between the US and the UK as “priceless and eternal”.
According to observers, British officials hope to be able to convert Mr. Trump’s sympathy for the country into action.
Prime Minister Starmer is expected to push for a new UK-US technology deal, hoping that the deal, along with billions of dollars in investment from US tech giants, will demonstrate that the transatlantic bond remains strong, despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.
However, Mr. Starmer is facing many obstacles. Polls show that Mr. Trump is not popular with the British public, and Mr. Starmer himself is facing falling approval ratings and economic challenges. This forces the British leader to prove that the efforts of the Royal Family and the British government can really be translated into the national interest.
President Trump will meet Prime Minister Starmer at Chequers, the British prime minister’s country estate, on September 18.
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