“It is impossible to overstate how much President Donald Trump has been looking forward to this visit,” wrote The Telegraph’s Washington correspondent Rob Crilly ahead of Trump’s arrival at Windsor Castle today. Indeed, judging from the coverage in The Telegraph’s live update page, Trump seems to have gotten everything but a knighthood—and this as the United States of America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence from that same United Kingdom!
The state visit began last night when Trump landed at London’s Stansted Airport, where he was greeted by an honor guard of members of the King’s Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force, the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens, U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Viscount Hood, the Lord-in-Waiting, on behalf of King Charles. Trump was then whisked off to the U.S. ambassador’s residence and then later on to Windsor Castle.
Before his departure, Mr. Trump praised his “elegant” friend the King and described how “honored” he was to be hosted at Windsor Castle, which he declared “the ultimate” royal residence compared to Buckingham Palace, reported The Telegraph. “He’s been a friend of mine for a long time, and everyone respects him, and they love him,” the President said of the King.
Much of the pomp and display put on for Trump was to impress him about the so-called U.S.-U.K. special relationship, including a small exhibition of items from the Royal Collection Trust. Trump was greeted by an honor guard of 1,300 British troops, but a joint flyover of U.S. and British F-35 stealth fighter jets was cancelled, leaving the air show to the Red Arrows, the RAF’s aerobatic team.
British press reports suggest that the visit will be more about pomp than substance, The Telegraph went on. The government hopes the soft power of the royal family will appeal to Trump as it seeks closer ties with Washington in relation to defense, security and energy, having already secured a favorable tariff deal, says The Telegraph. Trump is to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tomorrow.
