Preparations are in full swing at Windsor Castle as King Charles III gears up to host US President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit from September 16 to 18, 2025. Staff are meticulously setting a 50-metre mahogany banquet table, while grooms polish the horses' hooves for the royal carriage procession and military personnel rehearse with precision. The three-day event, centred at the 1,000-year-old fortress, promises a spectacle of British pomp, including brass bands, scarlet-uniformed guards, and a lavish banquet on 200-year-old silverware, aimed at strengthening transatlantic ties amid Trump's America First agenda.
The visit, the first second state invitation for a US leader, underscores the monarchy's role as a soft power tool to foster goodwill and influence policy. Royal historian Robert Lacey described it as "buttering up" Trump, who admires the late Queen Elizabeth II and has ties to Scotland through his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, born on the Isle of Lewis. Trump, who hosted Charles during his 2019 visit, accepted the personal invitation from the king via Prime Minister Keir Starmer in February, calling it a "great, great honour" to stay at Windsor. This follows Starmer's early outreach to secure favourable trade terms post-Brexit and support against Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The itinerary kicks off Tuesday evening with the Trumps' arrival, greeted by US Ambassador Warren Stephens and Lord-in-Waiting Viscount Hood. On Wednesday, Prince William and Princess Catherine will welcome them at Windsor, followed by a formal reception with Charles and Queen Camilla, a 21-gun salute, and a guard review by troops in bearskin hats. The Trumps will tour an exhibit highlighting Anglo-American history, from the Magna Carta to shared democratic roots, before a white-tie state banquet on the Waterloo Chamber's massive table for 160 guests, adorned with the Grand Service's 4,000 silver-gilt pieces. Tiaras and designer gowns will sparkle under antique candelabras, evoking the grandeur Trump favours, including his planned White House ballroom.
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Thursday features bilateral talks between Trump and Starmer at Chequers, the prime ministerial retreat, focusing on trade and security. Trump will also lay a wreath at Queen Elizabeth II's tomb, a poignant nod to his 2019 visit. Historian Hugo Vickers noted the event's potential to pave the way for diplomacy, echoing Elizabeth's belief in conciliation. Amid protests from anti-Trump groups like the Stop Trump coalition, the visit—timed during parliamentary recess—avoids a Commons address but highlights the royals' unique appeal, as expert Anthony Seldon observed: No other leader captivates Trump like the British monarch. As Britain navigates a new US administration, this royal overture seeks to leverage tradition for modern alliances.
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