Donald Trump has formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III to join him and Queen Camilla for an unprecedented second state visit, Buckingham Palace has said.
The US president will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, for the trip – which is set to take place from 17 to 19 September – and will be hosted at Windsor Castle.
The location for the state visit was chosen as the typical venue, Buckingham Palace, continues to undergo renovations.
Trump was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for his first state visit in 2019 during his first term in office.
Traditionally, second-term presidents are not offered a state visit and have instead been invited for tea or lunch with the monarch.
A full programme of events has not yet been announced but, like all visits of this kind, it will include a full ceremonial welcome and a state banquet in St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle.
All senior members of the Royal Family will be involved, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who live in the grounds of the castle.
French President Emmanuel Macron was hosted by the King at Windsor last week, marking the first time a state visit had been held in the Berkshire residence for more than a decade.
Macron and his wife, Brigitte, also took part in a carriage procession through the town of Windsor.
Any visit from a US president brings with it security challenges, and Trump’s programme is unlikely to include events that are public-facing.
During his 2019 visit, there was no procession along The Mall for security reasons and Trump was mostly flown between locations instead of travelling by road.
BBC
