WINDSOR, England (AP) — President Donald Trump basked in a British royal spectacle Wednesday, greeted by military honor guards and mounted troops in red and gold as King Charles III's guest at Windsor Castle for the start of a state visit full of pageantry and political risks for the host country.
Prince William and his wife Catherine met Trump's helicopter as it landed in the private Walled Garden on the vast estate, and they walked the American president and first lady Melania Trump over to be greeted by the king and Queen Camilla.
The guests traveled to the castle in a procession of horse-drawn carriages, past ranks of soldiers, sailors and aviators, as military bands played the U.S. and British national anthems. The king and the Republican president chatted in the Irish State Coach during the short journey to the castle quadrangle, where Trump, accompanied by Charles, inspected an honor guard of soldiers in red tunics and bearskin hats.
Trump and Charles chatted and joked together, with the king putting his hand on Trump’s back. They also talked with the sword-wielding officer who escorted them. Trump stepped in front of the king during a review of troops, though Charles had gestured, inviting the president to do so and avoiding a violation of protocol. That was not the case in 2019, when Trump stepped in front of Queen Elizabeth II during his first state visit.
The day of pageantry was on a scale designed to impress the grandeur-loving president and involved some 120 horses and 1,300 troops, including the largest guard of honor in living memory.
Later, the president and Charles toured the Royal Collection Display in an ornate room where officials laid out five tables of artifacts on U.S.-British relations.
“Wow,” Trump said as he looked at documents on U.S. independence.
“That’s fascinating,” Charles said.
Exchanging gifts, Charles and Camilla presented the Trumps with a handbound leather volume celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Union flag that flew above Buckingham Palace on the day of Trump’s inauguration in January. The royals also gave first lady Melania Trump a silver and enamel bowl and a personalized handbag by British designer Anya Hindmarch.
Trump gave Charles a replica of a President Dwight Eisenhower sword, and Camilla received a vintage Tiffany & Co. gold, diamond and ruby brooch.
The pomp is all meant to bolster ties with Trump at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements around the globe. British officials are also hoping to avoid awkward questions about Jeffrey Epstein. Days before the state visit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, over the diplomat's past friendship with the convicted sex offender.
The backdrop for the first of the two days Trump is spending in Britain is Windsor Castle, an almost 1,000-year-old royal residence with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks. A gigantic royal standard, the flag used for official celebration days, flew from the castle’s Royal Tower.
“I think that also is why he seems so visibly excited about the second meeting, because it isn’t an invitation given to (just) anyone,” said George Gross, an expert on the British monarchy at King’s College London.
From pomp to politics
Britain’s royals' history, tradition and celebrity give them a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet joining them. Invitations handed out at the request of the elected government are a powerful tool to reward friends and wring concessions from reluctant allies.
No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit.
Trump plans talks Thursday with Starmer, who will promote a new U.K.-U.S. technology deal. The British government hopes the deal, and billions in investment from U.S. tech companies, will help show that the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.
The Epstein scandal also continues to hang over the visit. On Tuesday, the campaign group Led By Donkeys projected an image of Trump and Epstein on a tower at Windsor Castle, a reminder of the president’s relationship with the late American financier. Police said they arrested four people over the stunt.
Wednesday features a private lunch and a state banquet. Tiaras and medals will be on display as up to 160 guests gather around a 50-meter (165-foot) long mahogany table set with 200-year-old silver to honor the president. Charles will deliver a speech, then the king and the president will offer toasts.
Trump will not address a joint session of Parliament, as French President Emmanuel Macron did in July during his state visit. The House of Commons is now in recess.
Protection from protests
Most state visits are staged in London, against the grand backdrop of Buckingham Palace and the broad, flag-lined boulevard known as The Mall. But this one is in the confines of Windsor, a historic town of just over 30,000 people about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of central London.
That makes it easier to control protests and protect Trump at a time of increased international tensions, especially after the fatal shooting of Trump ally Charlie Kirk last week in Utah. British police have undertaken a massive security operation to ensure Trump’s safety.
When Trump was in London on his first state visit in 2019, he was met by thousands of protesters who filled the streets outside the Houses of Parliament as a balloon shaped like a giant, diaper-wearing baby Trump floated overhead.
Historian Robert Lacey, a consultant on the Netflix television series “The Crown,” said Windsor is also a more “photogenic setting” for a state visit than London.
“Buckingham Palace has got its balcony, it’s got its façade,” he said. But “inside it’s very dreary and it’s currently being renovated, which is one reason why Mr. Trump will not be staying there. Windsor is a proper castle.”
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Lawless and Price reported from London and Weissert from Washington. Associated Press writer Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.