President Trump arrived in London late Tuesday and said he loved being back in the United Kingdom, calling it a “very special place.”
President Donald Trump was greeted by royalty, military honor guards and mounted troops in red and gold as he arrived at Windsor Castle on Wednesday to begin a two-day state visit to Britain as the guest of King Charles III.
Prince William and his wife Catherine met the president’s Marine One helicopter as it landed in the private Walled Garden on the vast castle estate, walking the president and first lady Melania Trump over to be greeted by the king and Queen Camilla.
The guests traveled to the castle in a procession of horse-drawn carriages, past ranks of soldiers, sailors and aviators, as military bands played the U.S. and British national anthems. The king and president chatted in the Irish State Coach during the short journey to the castle quadrangle, where Trump, accompanied by Charles, inspected an honor guard of soldiers in red tunics and bearskin hats.
The day of royal pageantry is the highlight of the president’s unprecedented second state visit to Britain. And it’s on a scale designed to impress the grandeur-loving president, involving some 120 horses and 1,300 troops, including the largest guard of honor in living memory.
It’s a spectacle with a purpose: to bolster ties with a world leader known for a love of bling at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements globally.
Trump arrived in London late Tuesday and said he loved being back in the United Kingdom, calling it a “very special place.” Asked if he had a message for Charles, he said the king was a longtime friend of his and well-respected.
The backdrop for day one is Windsor Castle, an almost 1,000-year-old royal residence with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks. A gigantic royal standard, the flag used for official celebration days, flew from the castle’s Royal Tower as the king and queen prepared for the Trumps to arrive by helicopter from London, where they spent Tuesday night at the U.
