President Donald Trump will be welcomed to Windsor Castle this week for his second state visit to Britain, with the royal family once again at the centre of the pageantry.
The president and first lady Melania Trump will be received with a carriage procession and a state banquet in St George’s Hall, as the King and Queen lead events designed to reinforce the strength of UK-US relations.
The visit comes against a political backdrop of unease for Sir Keir Starmer, who is still managing the fallout from last week’s sacking of Peter Mandelson.
Until revelations surrounding his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, Lord Mandelson had proved effective as ambassador in Washington, helping to bring the prime minister and President Trump’s office closer together.
It is the second time Mr Trump has been honoured with a state visit, following his 2019 banquet at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II. This time, Windsor will provide the setting, with preparations underway across the royal household to deliver the spectacle.
Preparations have been afoot for weeks. On Windsor High Street, union flags fly alongside the stars and stripes. Inside the castle, gardeners, archivists, chefs and musicians are working in concert to deliver an event in which nothing – from the beehives in the grounds to the French phrasing of the menu – is left to chance.
On Wednesday, the Trumps will be received by the Prince and Princess of Wales before a formal welcome by Charles and Camilla.
A royal salute will sound from the east lawn of the castle and from the Tower of London. Mr Trump will then join the King to inspect the guard of honour.
“When His Majesty the King receives a visitor, then we try to provide the most splendid reception we can manage,” said Lieutenant Colonel Charles Foinette, brigade major of the Household Division. “But of course, to bring all the elements together, you have to rehearse.”
Troops are drilled separately before being brought together in full dress rehearsals with mounted soldiers, footguards and three military bands from the Royal Navy, army and RAF.
Beyond the parade ground, Windsor’s gardeners have their own role. Adam Scott, gardens and nursery manager, explained: “Dessert leaves are picked throughout the estate and sent up to the kitchens for them to use on the table. We’ve got the peach houses and fruit houses that we use, so we’ll pick them throughout the year. We’ve also recently got beehives, so the honey from that can be taken up and used as well.”
The banquet in St George’s Hall will be the highlight. The 50m table, seating 160 guests, will be laid with porcelain and silver-gilt from the royal collection and dressed with seasonal flowers and herbs. Preparing it takes several days, with staff polishing every glass and fork until it gleams.
The guest list has yet to be confirmed, but senior royals, political leaders and figures from public life are expected. The King and Mr Trump will sit at the centre of the table while musicians play from the gallery above.
The menu, written in French, will showcase British produce while offering nods to American tastes. “It’s our opportunity to show the best of our British produce,” said royal chef Mark Flanagan. “We’ll serve usually 160 at the banquet, but we’ll probably serve close to 500 meals that day.” Some 20 chefs will be involved.
At his 2019 banquet, Mr Trump was served halibut, Windsor lamb with herb stuffing, and strawberry sable with lemon verbena cream.
A cocktail created for the occasion is also expected this week, continuing a tradition introduced by the King, though the teetotal president will not drink it.
Other plans include a display of royal collection items linked to the United States, which the couple will view in the castle’s Green Drawing Room.
The first lady will also join the Princess of Wales at Frogmore Gardens to meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and young members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme.
The visit will end at Chequers, where Sir Keir and his wife, Victoria, will host the presidential couple. For the prime minister, the hope will be that Britain’s most reliable diplomatic resource has once again done its work.
How UK will welcome Trump during state visit, from banquet to Red Arrows flypast
Trump state visit live: US president set to arrive in London before meeting King
Shipping companies support a first-ever global fee on greenhouse gases, opposed by Trump officials
AI models are struggling to identify hate speech, study finds
Eight charged after disorder at Tommy Robinson rally in London
Obese children as young as six could benefit from weight-loss jabs
