Britain Rolls Out Royal Red Carpet for Trump’s State Visit

AFP/APP

London: Britain will roll out a supersized royal welcome for Donald Trump’s unprecedented second state visit on Wednesday, with King Charles III personally greeting the US president, who has often compared himself to a monarch.

From a carriage ride with the king to a joint flypast and a lavish state dinner in the nearly 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle, Britain is going to extraordinary lengths to dazzle and flatter the mercurial Republican.

A massive security operation will keep the 79-year-old far away from protesters and the public—where polls show he remains unpopular—ensuring the pageantry unfolds largely behind closed doors.

Biggest Military Welcome in Living Memory

Keenly aware of Trump’s fascination with Britain’s royals and his love of pomp, officials have planned the largest ceremonial welcome for any state visit in decades—even surpassing the reception Queen Elizabeth II hosted for Trump in 2019.

The itinerary includes:

• A joint flypast by US and UK fighter jets, the first of its kind.
• The largest guard of honour for a state visit, featuring 120 horses and 1,300 troops.
• A white-tie banquet at Windsor Castle, where Trump and King Charles are expected to deliver speeches.
• The Trumps will also lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022.

‘Warm My Heart’

Trump appeared upbeat upon arrival in London on Tuesday, landing by helicopter at the US ambassador’s residence with First Lady Melania Trump.

“A lot of things here warm my heart,” he said, referencing his mother’s Scottish roots and his two golf courses in Britain. He also described Charles, 76—currently undergoing cancer treatment—as “my friend.”

For Trump, the trip may also provide a welcome escape from political turmoil at home following the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which has shaken US politics.

Royal Soft Power Test

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hoping the grand welcome will soften Trump’s unpredictable stances on tariffs, Ukraine, and Gaza, but observers caution there are no guarantees.

The visit begins with Prince William and Princess Catherine welcoming the Trumps to Windsor Castle, followed by a carriage procession through the royal estate.

The day will end with a military band ceremony capped by a flypast from F-35 fighter jets and the RAF’s Red Arrows display team.

Shadow of Epstein

Despite the lavish welcome, Trump’s unpopularity in Britain continues to cast a shadow. On Tuesday night, demonstrators projected images of Trump alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle, with further protests expected in London on Wednesday.

Starmer will host Trump at his country retreat, Chequers, on Thursday for bilateral talks that could prove tense. The British leader is already under pressure after dismissing UK ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson over links to Epstein.

Trump has also been entangled in the scandal, though he has dismissed it as a “hoax.”