Donald Trump is expected to meet his ‘friend’ King Charles at Windsor Castle on a trip to Britain this autumn to discuss arrangements for his ‘unprecedented’ second State visit.
The venue was initially expected to be Balmoral or Dumfries House, both in Scotland, but may now be moved to Windsor with the US President preferring a grander photo opportunity, it has been reported.
In February, Sir Keir Starmer hand-delivered a letter to Mr Trump from the King, which included an offer of a second State visit.
However, The Mail on Sunday reported that the President is now being lined up for two meetings with Charles, due to scheduling complications.
A Whitehall source told the paper that the original plan was for the President to conduct his full state visit in October but the meeting is now understood to be ‘slipping towards 2026’ because of unspecified ‘difficulties’.
Royal sources said the main reason for the delay is because it is ‘hard to move the diaries of the King and the US President into perfect alignment’. Diplomats were at the time said to be working towards a light-touch, non-state visit by Mr Trump later this year.
Mr Trump does have close ties to Scotland. His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born and brought up on the Hebridean island of Lewis. He also owns a number of golf courses in the country.
But it is believed the President would prefer Windsor because he has fond memories of his last visit when he met the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2019.
Mr Trump also attended a state banquet with the monarch at Buckingham Palace, as well as hosting a dinner for Charles and Camilla at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador
It is believed the President would prefer Windsor because he has fond memories of his last visit when he met the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2019
The invitation formed part of a charm offensive by the Prime Minister, who had previously insulted Mr Trump. In 2018, he said: ‘Humanity and dignity. Two words not understood by President Trump.’
The Government is said to have presented a number of options to the White House with locations and dates in summer for Mr Trump’s initial private visit to Britain, however these were declined, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Trump is now said to have approved of a visit to Windsor in September, with the paper reporting that he preferred a grander stage than the royal Scottish homes.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, the President said: ‘I was invited by the King and the great country.
‘They are going to do a second fest – that’s what it is. It is beautiful.’
He added: ‘It’s an honour to be a friend of King Charles and the family, William.
I think they are setting a date for September. I don’t know how it can be bigger than the last one. The last one was incredible but they say the next one will be even more important.’
Donald Trump is expected to meet his ‘friend’ King Charles at Windsor Castle on a trip to Britain this autumn to discuss arrangements for his ‘unprecedented’ second State visit
A date and location is yet to be officially confirmed, but any meeting with the US President comes at an important time with Britain hoping to strengthen relations with the White House.
Sir Keir is trying to negotiate a trade deal with the US after Mr Trump imposed 10 per cent tariffs on all imports from the UK. However, Britain was markedly better off than a number of other nations, with EU countries initially hit with 20 per cent tariffs before these were paused for 90 days.
On accepting the invitation to meet the King in February, Mr Trump called Charles a ‘great gentleman a great, great gentleman’.
‘I’ve gotten to know him very well,’ he said. ‘First term and now second term.’
Sir Keir responded: ‘This is really special. It has never happened before. It is unprecedented. And that just symbolises the strength of the relationship between us.’
