US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales in the Walled Garden on the Windsor estate.
In a unique move, which is just one of a number of flourishes being added to the controversial American leader’s second state visit, the president’s Marine One helicopter, which is due to arrive shortly at 11.55am, will land on the lawn of the garden nestled in the private Home Park.
William and Kate will greet the Trumps as they disembark and walk with them the short distance to meet the King and Queen outside the little-known Victoria House to launch the historic trip.
The decision to use Victoria House in the Royal Kitchen Gardens at Frogmore as the backdrop to the start of the major royal charm offensive offers a personal, family-centred greeting especially for the president.
But the welcome also embraces pomp and pageantry, and the military theatrics Mr Trump is known to adore.
As the president shakes hands with the King at midday, a 41-round gun salute will be fired from six First World War era guns simultaneously by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle, while the Honourable Artillery Company stages a salute more than 20 miles away at the Tower of London.
The scale and spectacle of the military ceremonial on show for Mr Trump is unprecedented and marks the largest military ceremonial welcome for a state visit to the UK in living memory.
In total, around 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military will be involved in the ceremonial welcome at Windsor, with 160 personnel from the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, 1,000 from the British Army and 140 from the Royal Air Force.
The Trumps are joining the King and Queen and William and Kate for a carriage procession through the Windsor estate towards the Castle.
Eighty soldiers from the House Cavalry Mounted Regiment will form the Sovereign’s Escort travelling with the carriages, with the Life Guards dressed in their red tunics and white plumed helmets and Blues and Royals in their blue tunics and red plumes.
The processional route, which will not be open to the public, will be lined by 22 half-companies of personnel from throughout the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force.
As they make their way to the castle, the Trumps are expected to pass not far from Frogmore House, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had their evening wedding reception, and also close to Frogmore Cottage, briefly home to Harry and Meghan before they quit the working monarchy and moved to America,
The carriages are scheduled to pass through the castle’s George IV Gate at 12.15pm, ready for the full ceremonial welcome in the quadrangle with a Guard of Honour.
The State Colours of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards will greet the party – the first time that three State Colours, rather than just one, will be on parade at such an occasion.
The gable-ended Victoria House was previously lived in by the former Head Gardener for the Royal Estate Thomas Ingram in the 19th century, and in recent years has provided accommodation for Household staff.
It was renovated using £800,000 of the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant for roof and masonry repairs between 2014-16.
