Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles to visit Britain, becoming the first U.S. president to receive two state visits from a British monarch. The invitation was delivered by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a press conference at the White House, which Trump promptly accepted, expressing excitement about honoring the king and the country. No date for the visit has been announced. Trump’s first state visit occurred in June 2019 with Queen Elizabeth II, placing him among a select few U.S. presidents recognized with such honors during her reign. His visits have sparked significant protests.
Washington:
On Thursday, Donald Trump accepted an invitation from King Charles to visit Britain, marking the first time in modern history that a U.S. President has been hosted for two state visits by a British monarch.
During a press conference at the White House, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented Trump with a letter from Charles, to which Trump promptly responded with acceptance.
“This is truly special. This has never occurred before. This is unprecedented,” Starmer told Trump as he handed over the letter.
“The answer is yes,” Trump replied, indicating that he would attend the visit along with first lady Melania Trump. “We are eager to be there and to honor the king and the country.”
No specific date for the visit was specified.
In June 2019, the late Queen Elizabeth welcomed Trump for a three-day state visit during his first term, where he attended a lavish state banquet and a private luncheon with the monarch, in addition to having tea with Charles, who was then the heir.
That visit placed Trump among a select group of U.S. presidents, as only Barack Obama and George W. Bush were granted official state visits to Britain during Queen Elizabeth’s remarkable 70-year reign.
It would also emerge as the last of the more than 110 state visits she hosted before her passing in September 2022.
Trump’s interaction with Elizabeth extended beyond this visit, as he also had tea with her at Windsor Castle during a trip to Britain in 2018. This occasion was marred by controversy, as he was widely criticized for not adhering to royal protocol by failing to bow to the queen and subsequently walking in front of her during a military inspection.
His trips to Britain were met with significant protests, with the 2018 visit being particularly costly, racking up police expenses exceeding 14 million pounds, necessitating the deployment of 10,000 officers from across the nation.
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