US President Donald Trump arrives in the UK late Tuesday for a state visit with his wife, Melania — a rare privilege made at the invitation of King Charles III.
These pomp-filled visits are organised at the recommendation of the British government to strengthen diplomatic, trade or personal relations with certain countries and their leaders.
Trump is the first president ever to be invited for a second state visit, having been hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, during his first White House term.
The visits begin with a grand welcome by the king and his wife, Queen Camilla, and generally follow a similar script, including a carriage ride, an inspection of a guard of honour, and a private lunch hosted by the monarch.
The showpiece event is a grand state dinner with approximately 150 guests, chosen for their cultural, diplomatic or economic ties with the host country.
Foreign leaders generally also pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey in London and also address parliament, as French President Emmanuel Macron did in July.
However, lawmakers will not be sitting during Trump’s trip due to a recess for the annual party conferences, prompting speculation that the centre-left Labour government deliberately timed the visit to avoid a potentially tricky parliamentary address.
Trump’s 2019 state visit drew huge protests in Parliament Square, with demonstrations again planned for this trip.
“Let them have a good time,” Trump told the BBC in July, referring to British lawmakers being absent from parliament.
“I want to have a good time and respect King Charles because he’s a great gentleman.”
– Windsor focus –
The second part of the visit is usually more political, with a meeting with the prime minister and sometimes a joint press conference.
Private engagements for the visiting leader are also usually included.
Trump, who is very unpopular in the UK, has no public engagements scheduled in London, where protesters plan to march through the heart of the capital on Wednesday.
He will instead meet Keir Starmer at the prime minister’s country residence Chequers, a secluded property 50 miles (80 kilometres) northwest of London.
The pair will then attend a business reception before holding a press conference.
Since Charles became king in September 2022, he has invited six leaders for state visits, including Trump.
They include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in November 2022, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in November 2023 and Japanese Emperor Naruhito in June 2024.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani also made such a visit in December 2024, followed by Macron in July.
Elizabeth II hosted Trump at her Buckingham Palace home during his 2019 trip, but the building is now being renovated and the president’s second state visit will take place at Windsor Castle, west of London.
Traditionally, second-term US presidents are not invited back for a state visit, but for tea or lunch with the monarch, as was the case for Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
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© Agence France-Presse
