U.S. President Donald Trump joined King Charles on a ceremonial carriage ride around Windsor Castle on Wednesday, marking the start of a pageantry-filled state visit that will take place entirely out of public view.
Mr. Trump and the King led the procession in the Irish State Coach, a gold-trimmed four-horse carriage used by the Royal Family on ceremonial occasions. Four other carriages followed carrying Melania Trump, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and nine other U.S. officials. The short route was lined by more than 1,300 soldiers and three military bands, which played the national anthems of both countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday for a state visit during which the British government hopes a multibillion-dollar technology deal will show the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of the Western alliance.
The Associated Press
The Trumps will enjoy a full day of pomp at the castle with the King and Queen. Their agenda includes a visit to the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, a choir concert, military displays and a state banquet in the evening with members of the Royal Family.
Everything is taking place behind closed doors and security around Windsor has been tightened. A temporary wall has been erected along the Long Walk – a tree-lined avenue within Windsor Great Park that has hosted royal processions since the 11th century – and many roads around the town have been closed.
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A thick crowd gathered near the entrance to the castle Wednesday morning. A few protesters held up signs that read “Stop arming Israel,” and “I love Gavin Newsom,” a reference to the Democratic Governor of California. One sign simply read, “No.”
“I live in Windsor, I love Windsor and I love the King and the Royal Family,” said Amy Tisi as she stood on a sidewalk near the castle entrance. “I just feel like this whole spectacle is for Donald Trump’s ego rather than necessarily for the good of our country.”
Protesters gathered in front of Windsor Castle on Tuesday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom. A few dozens of protesters chanted ‘Donald Trump’s not welcome here,’ in front of the iconic castle with banners.
The Associated Press
It’s a much different atmosphere than the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron in July. Mr. Macron and the King took an open carriage ride through the streets of Windsor in front of hundreds of onlookers. The French President also travelled to London to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.
Mr. Trump is avoiding the capital altogether and he will meet Mr. Starmer on Thursday at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence.
The difference in the visits is due largely to security concerns in the wake of the assassination of Trump campaigner Charlie Kirk in Utah. Mr. Trump is also deeply unpopular in Britain, with polls showing that just 16 per cent of people support the President.
A large demonstration organized by the Stop Trump Coalition will take place in London Wednesday afternoon and hundreds of students have pledged to walk out of class in protest of the visit. Four men were arrested Tuesday evening after they projected a giant image of Mr. Trump and U.S. pedophile Jeffrey Epstein onto the wall of Windsor Castle.
“Trump is so unpopular in Britain and Europe, I would imagine most people don’t really want to have him over here, but I think they appreciate the soft power elements of it and that’s really what Starmer is playing to,” said Kristofer Allerfeldt, a professor of U.S. history at the University of Exeter. He added that Mr. Starmer is catering to the idea that Mr. Trump enjoys the royal pomp and ceremony. “So let’s tickle his tummy and hope that he’s going to treat us a bit better if we do that,” he said.
The British government uses state visits as a way of pursuing its foreign policy objectives. Queen Elizabeth hosted 113 during her 70-year reign, including welcoming unsavory figures such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe.
Only three U.S. presidents have been given the honour of a state visit – Mr. Trump, twice; Barack Obama and George W. Bush – although nearly every president since Woodrow Wilson made official visits, which did not include as much royal ceremony.
“It’s difficult to gage how successful they are, but it looks like Trump’s first one was definitely a winner,” said Prof. Allerfeldt. “It seems to have definitely kind of helped Britain’s relationship with him.”
There had been some concern about the health of the Queen, who is 78. She missed the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on Tuesday because of “acute sinusitis,” an inflammation of the sinus lining in the nose. However, she recovered sufficiently to join the King, 76, and the Trumps on Wednesday.
Maybe it was nerves from being in the presence of royalty, or perhaps it was a simple mistake, but over the years there have been quite a few gaffes between U.S. presidents, first ladies and members of the British Royal family.
The Associated Press