'Great honour': Trump to visit UK in September as King Charles to host him at Windsor Castle

Donald Trump has formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit to the UK, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

Trump will make his second state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19, after accepting the invitation to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.

Accompanied by his wife Melania, Trump will stay at Windsor Castle instead of Buckingham Palace, which is currently undergoing renovations.

Trump previously made a state visit in 2019 during his first term, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Traditionally, second-term US presidents are not offered a state visit and are instead invited for tea or lunch with the monarch.

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Although the full itinerary hasn’t been released, the visit will include a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle. Senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, are expected to take part.

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte became the first guests to have a state visit at Windsor in over a decade, complete with a carriage procession through the town.

Trump’s visit will require significant security measures. During his 2019 trip, there was no public procession along The Mall, and he mostly traveled by helicopter rather than by road.

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It’s still uncertain whether Trump will address parliamentarians, which is often a feature of state visits. The House of Commons will be in recess for party conference season during his visit, though the House of Lords will still be in session.

In February, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered King Charles’s invitation to Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office. Trump described the invitation as a “great, great honour,” adding, “And that says at Windsor—that’s really something.”

The upcoming visit comes just months after King Charles traveled to Canada to open Parliament there, a gesture seen as supporting Canada following Trump’s imposition of tariffs and his remarks about possibly making Canada the 51st US state.

For the UK government, Trump’s visit is viewed as a valuable opportunity for soft diplomacy. Trump has frequently spoken warmly of the royal family, saying in April, “I’m a friend of Charles. I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William. We have really just a great respect for the family.”

Prime Minister Starmer hopes the visit might help influence Trump on major issues, including the war in Ukraine and reducing US tariffs on British exports—both important topics in the ongoing “special relationship” between the two nations.