Special exceptions for Mr. Donald Trump at the British Royal State Banquet.ng1

Notably, the banquet table was as long as 2.7 Marine One helicopters and was decorated with 139 candles, 1,452 sets of knives, forks, spoons and more than 100 waiters.

Royal officials said it took a week to prepare the banquet, which was held in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, a building nearly 1,000 years old.

At the banquet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, King Charles III, Donald Trump and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were seated on one side. On the other side were Finance Minister Scott Bessent, Queen Camilla, First Lady Melania Trump and Prince William.

The starter was Hampshire watercress panna cotta with Parmesan biscuits and quail egg salad, according to Buckingham Palace. The main course was organic Norfolk chicken wrapped in zucchini and served with a herb sauce. Dessert was vanilla ice cream with Kentish raspberry sorbet and poached Victoria plums.

Although Donald Trump does not drink alcohol, the drinks chosen are symbolic. Warre’s 1945 port was chosen to honor Donald Trump as the 45th and 47th President of the United States. Hennessy 1912 cognac was also served, marking the birth year of Donald Trump’s Scottish-born mother.

The musical program included songs from Donald Trump’s campaign such as “Nessun Dorma” and Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”

This is the second British royal reception that Mr. Donald Trump has attended, the first taking place in 2019. He is the first US president to be invited to attend two such events.

Calling the dinner at Windsor Castle “one of the greatest honors of my life”, Donald Trump said it was important for the US and UK to continue to defend “the values ​​of the English-speaking community”.

Other exceptions

Mr. Donald 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 makes for the US president, because the building, considered the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, is very sensitive to the loud vibrations emitted by helicopters.

King Charles and President Trump rode in the royal Irish State Coach, a historic carriage built in 1851, through the castle grounds. The US President seemed very excited to ride with King Charles in this six-horse carriage instead of the usual “Beast”.

Notably, during his visit to the UK in 2019, Mr. Donald Trump was unable to travel in this carriage due to security concerns from the US Secret Service. This time, the British Royal Family held a welcoming ceremony in the grounds of Windsor Castle, limiting public access, to help the US president ride in a non-bulletproof carriage but still be safe.