King Charles III greets Trump in Windsor at start of president's second state visit to the UK

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.

The day of royal pageantry on the president’s unprecedented second state visit to Britain is, the British hosts stressed, on an unprecedented scale. It includes 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.S. ambassador’s residence.

The prospect of a visit to the castle has seemed to enchant Trump, who ditched his trademark bluster and described the invitation as “a great, great honor.”

“I think that also is why he seems so visibly excited about the second meeting, because it isn’t an invitation given to (just) anyone,” said George Gross, an expert on the British monarchy at King’s College London.

From pomp to politics

After a day of royal pomp, Trump will hold talks Thursday with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will tout a new U.K.-U.S. technology deal. The British government hopes the deal, and billions in investment from U.S. tech firms, will help show that the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.

Starmer also hopes to avoid awkward questions about Jeffrey Epstein. Days before the state visit, Starmer fired Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, over the envoy’s past friendship with the convicted sex offender.

On Tuesday, the campaign group Led By Donkeys projected an image of Trump and Epstein on a tower at Windsor Castle, a reminder of the president’s relationship with the disgraced financier. Police said they arrested four people over the stunt.

While Britain’s royals long ago gave up political power, their history, tradition and celebrity give them a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet an invitation to join them. That makes the invitations, handed out at the request of the elected government, a powerful tool to reward friends and wring concessions out of reluctant allies.

State banquet

No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit. That won’t be lost on a president who often describes his actions with superlatives and has made no secret of his fondness for Britain’s royals.

A day of ceremony in Windsor includes a horse-drawn carriage ride through the estate — 6,400 hectares (15,800 acres) of farms, forest and open space that includes a one-time royal hunting ground, still home to 500 red deer.

Back at the castle, a military band will play “God Save the King” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Trump and the king inspect an honor guard of soldiers in traditional scarlet tunics and tall bearskin hats.

After a private lunch and a visit to an exhibit of documents and artwork illustrating the ties between Britain and the U.S., it will be time for the glitz and glamour of a state banquet.

Tiaras and medals will be on display as up to 160 guests gather around a 50-meter (165-foot) long mahogany table set with 200-year-old silver to honor the president. Charles will deliver a speech, then the king and president will offer toasts.

Trump won’t, however, have the chance to address a joint session of Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did in July during his state visit, because the House of Commons is in recess.

Protection from protests

Most state visits are staged in London, against the grand backdrop of Buckingham Palace and the broad, flag-lined boulevard known as The Mall. But this one is taking place in the confines of Windsor, a historic town of just over 30,000 people about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of central London.

That makes it easier to control protests and protect the president at a time of increased international tensions, especially after the fatal shooting of Trump ally Charlie Kirk last week in Utah. British police have mounted a massive security operation to ensure the president’s safety.

When Trump was in London on his first state visit in 2019, he was met by thousands of protesters who filled the streets outside the Houses of Parliament as a balloon shaped like a giant, diaper-wearing baby Trump floated overhead.

Historian Robert Lacey, a consultant on the Netflix television series “The Crown,” said Windsor is also a more “photogenic setting” for a state visit than London.

“Buckingham Palace has got its balcony, it’s got its façade,” he said. But “inside it’s very dreary and it’s currently being renovated, which is one reason why Mr. Trump will not be staying there. Windsor is a proper castle.”