President Donald Trump is doing something no American president has ever done. Trump will make an unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, from Sept. 17 to 19, when King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host them at Windsor Castle.
Buckingham Palace made the announcement on Monday, July 14.
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Trump first visited the U.K. on a state visit in 2019 during his first term, when the late Queen Elizabeth II hosted him. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered the invitation to Trump during his visit to the White House in February. Starmer remarked at the time, “This has never happened before; this is unprecedented.”
Invitation amid Trump’s tariffs
Officials typically hold ceremonial state meetings to honor alliances, and this visit may aim to ease trade tensions caused by Trump’s tariffs, which have been less severe on the U.K. than on other nations.
But like Trump’s previous visit — during which he feuded with London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, and faced mass protests — this visit is also expected to spark criticism.
Ahead of his visit in 2019, Trump called Khan a “stone cold loser” on social media and claimed he was doing a poor job of managing London.
Khan struck back, calling Trump “just one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat” and comparing Trump’s rhetoric to that used by “fascists of the 20th century.”
Khan remains the mayor of Britain’s capital city, and their mutual hostility likely hasn’t changed.
Some members of Parliament have criticized the invitation, citing Trump’s support of Israel’s war in Gaza and his threats to annex Greenland and Canada.
Charles is the ceremonial head of state for both the United Kingdom and Canada, a country Trump has previously suggested should be the 51st U.S. state. In May, Charles emphasized in a speech Canada’s “unique identity” and “sovereignty” while repeating the words of the nation’s national anthem when he proclaimed, “The True North is indeed strong and free.”
What will we see?
State visits often entail royal ceremonies, which include military reviews, carriage processions and a decadent state banquet hosted by the king.
Trump isn’t expected to address Parliament, as lawmakers are not typically in session in September.
While these events typically take place at Buckingham Palace, the Trumps will stay at Windsor Castle, as Buckingham Palace is under renovation. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, also stayed at Windsor Castle last week as the remodeling is underway.
