US President Donald Trump will embark on an unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom.
Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, will arrive in the UK on Tuesday, September 16, and depart
on Thursday, September 18. The visit had initially been announced for September 17-19, but the dates were adjusted and shortened due to the US President’s schedule, as per BBC.
The US first couple would be hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, marking Trump’s first meeting with the king since his accession to the throne.
The US President was previously hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in June 2019.
According to Buckingham Palace, Trump will stay with the royal couple during the two-day state visit. The first day will not include any public engagements, as he will remain within the private Windsor estate.
UK PM Keir Starmer had invited Trump on behalf of the King during his visit to the White House in February this year. After reading it, Trump described the invitation as a “great, great honour,” adding, “and that says at Windsor’ – that’s really something.”
The trip comes nearly two months after Trump’s private visit to Scotland, where he met Starmer, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, and Scottish First Minister John Swinney, alongside inaugurating a new golf course.
Trump’s Schedule
September 16
The duo will arrive in the UK on Tuesday evening (local time). They will be greeted on behalf of the King by US Ambassador Warren Stephens, Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting, before spending the night within the private Windsor Castle estate. There will be no public events on the first day.
September 17
In the morning, the Prince and Princess of Wales will welcome the couple at Windsor and accompany them to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla for an open-air greeting.
A ceremonial welcome with a guard of honour will be staged in the quadrangle of the castle, as is customary, followed by lunch with the royal family and a visit to see a Royal Collection exhibition within the castle. Later, they will visit St George’s Chapel privately to lay a wreath at Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb.
In the afternoon, they will witness a Red Arrows flypast with UK and US F-35 jets, and a special Beating Retreat ceremony, before attending the state banquet in St George’s Hall, where both King Charles and President Trump will deliver speeches.
September 18
The US President and First Lady will formally bid farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle in the morning, before heading to Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire.
He will meet Starmer and his wife and be greeted with a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers.
The two leaders will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at Chequers, before holding a bilateral meeting and joining a business reception with the chancellor. A press conference is expected to follow.
