President Trump has indicated he will be back inside one of the oldest royal residences in the world very soon and both the Monarch and the heir to the throne could be hosting him.
As speculation grew that the US leader was set to make the first UK visit of his second term in the White House, Donald Trump confirmed that early autumn could well see him welcomed to the UK by the Royal Family.
Reports indicate that Mr Trump is set to visit Windsor in September. The Daily Telegraph raised the issue with Donald Trump during a briefing in the Oval Office and the President said ”it’s a very great honour. And I think they’re setting a date for September.”
The US leader has made no secret of his admiration for the Royal Family and as he contemplated a UK visit, he continued ”it’s an honour to be a friend of Charles…I have great respect for King Charles and the family….William…”
In the past months, President Trump has also been vocal in his admiration for the Prince of Wales who he met just before his inauguration when both men attended the official reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. They later had an extended private audience at the UK embassy in Paris.
However, the nature of the September visit remains unknown. Earlier this year, Sir Keir Starmer hand delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump, asking the US President to make a State Visit. The King also suggested another trip before that, perhaps to Scotland, to discuss details.
(Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead (Public Domain))
However, the talk around Windsor raises the possibility that the two countries may move straight to a State Visit. Windsor Castle would be the location for that as Buckingham Palace is currently closed for major official events because of restoration work.
President Trump also seemed to hint that something big would happen soon as he continued ‘‘I don’t know how it could be bigger than the last one….the last one, as you know, was incredible, but they said it’s going to be even more important.”
A State Visit could be a vital step in establishing a stronger trade relationship between the UK and the US, given fresh impetus by Donald Trump’s imposition of wide ranging tariffs.
The final decision on whether this year will be a State Visit doesn’t lie with King Charles – His Majesty hosts such events on the advice of his government. But one thing is certain – any royal visit will certainly make a good impression on Donald Trump who has, once more, underlined his admiration for the House of Windsor.
