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First lady Melania Trump and the Princess of Wales are set to make history with their first joint outing together.
Prince William and Kate greeted US president Donald Trump and the first lady as they disembarked Marine One after landing in the grounds of the Windsor estate on Wednesday, before they were taken to meet the King and Queen.
Kate was dressed in a bold, burgundy Emilia Wickstead dress, a matching hat by Jane Taylor and a feather brooch. Kate’s hat, in luxury felt with a satin bow and veiling, retails for £2,330 and is made to measure.
Meanwhile, Melania wore a Christian Dior haute couture dark grey suit with a wide-brimmed purple hat that obscured her eyes.
Later, the two women will visit Frogmore Gardens together as part of the president’s second state visit, marking their first solo outing without their respective spouses.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla and first lady Melania Trump (Getty)
Melania and Kate will meet UK chief scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels program. A former Scout herself, Kate has been co-president of the Scout Association since 2020.
Ahead of their historic outing, Melania and Camilla joined their respective spouses for the Beating Retreat military ceremony. Camilla opted for a royal blue dress and matching hat, along with three strands of pearls. Her handbag matched her shoes, and she wore a gold brooch.
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Queen Camilla, King Charles III, US president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the Beating Retreat military ceremony (PA)
The Trumps stayed overnight Tuesday at the US ambassador’s residence in London before travelling on Wednesday to Windsor Castle for a ceremonial welcome and a lavish state banquet.
Melania’s itinerary for the short visit also includes an outing with Camilla. Together, the two will visit Queen Mary’s Dollhouse and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.
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Kate wore a burgundy Emilia Wickstead dress while Melania wore a wide-brimmed purple hat (PA)
The trip carries extra significance as the late Queen Elizabeth previously hosted the Trumps for a state visit during his first term. Mr Trump is now the first elected political leader in modern history to be invited to two state visits by monarchs.
Crowds have turned out to support the president in the Berkshire town, with Dianne, 52, from north London, telling The Independent she thinks Mr Trump is a “special man”.
However, thousands are set to demonstrate against Mr Trump’s stay on the streets of London later.
The president’s visit is under tight security, with four arrests made near Windsor after pictures of Mr Trump and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto the castle.
Wednesday will see the president and first lady treated to a military parade – described by the MoD as the largest guard of honour ever at a state visit – as well as gun salutes, a joint US-UK flypast, a carriage procession, and a lavish state banquet.
Meanwhile, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to use the visit to bolster the “special relationship”.