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Donald Trump meets the Queen at start of UK state visit Donald Trump meets the Queen at start of UK state visit
(about 2 hours later)
Donald Trump breezed into Buckingham Palace onboard Marine One on Monday morning, as Tory leadership contenders braced themselves for presidential interventions in the race. Donald Trump breezed into Britain by launching an attack on London’s mayor and berating so-called fake news before he landed on the Queen’s back lawn for the start of his controversial three-day state visit.
The US president and the first lady, Melania Trump, landed on the Queen’s lawn in their helicopter for the full British bells and whistles state visit, including two 41-gun salutes, a guard of honour and a banquet.
There was even a wall – the high one which encloses Buckingham Palace gardens – which served to keep Trump well away from the public at the start of his three-day visit, most of which will be conducted behind closed doors and well away from the planned protests.
When Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive for a state visit to the UK on 3 June, they will reportedly be joined by the president’s four adult children and their spouses. Here's who is in the family entourage:When Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive for a state visit to the UK on 3 June, they will reportedly be joined by the president’s four adult children and their spouses. Here's who is in the family entourage:
Ivanka is Trump’s oldest daughter and works in the White House (unpaid) as an adviser to the president. Trump has relied on her often for overseas diplomacy, including sitting in for him briefly at a G20 summit, and he said he had considered naming her to head the World Bank. She has visited Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast on behalf of the administration to promote women’s rights. Before her father’s presidency, Trump ran her own fashion line.Ivanka is Trump’s oldest daughter and works in the White House (unpaid) as an adviser to the president. Trump has relied on her often for overseas diplomacy, including sitting in for him briefly at a G20 summit, and he said he had considered naming her to head the World Bank. She has visited Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast on behalf of the administration to promote women’s rights. Before her father’s presidency, Trump ran her own fashion line.
Trump’s son-in-law is a White House senior adviser and the administration’s envoy to the Middle East (also unpaid). With his wife Ivanka he has also been the subject of a host of controversies – with a whistleblower alleging they were granted sensitive security clearances over the objections of career security experts. He has also been accused of conflicts of interest over his family’s sprawling real-estate empire. Kushner wears many hats in Washington. He is supposed to come up with a Middle East peace plan, as well as US immigration policy.Trump’s son-in-law is a White House senior adviser and the administration’s envoy to the Middle East (also unpaid). With his wife Ivanka he has also been the subject of a host of controversies – with a whistleblower alleging they were granted sensitive security clearances over the objections of career security experts. He has also been accused of conflicts of interest over his family’s sprawling real-estate empire. Kushner wears many hats in Washington. He is supposed to come up with a Middle East peace plan, as well as US immigration policy.
Trump’s eldest son and his brother, Eric, run their father’s business empire while he is in the White House. Officially, Trump Jr is executive vice-president of the Trump Organization. It was Trump Jr who met a Russian lawyer in an infamous Trump Tower meeting in New York in 2016, after the Russian offered him election ‘dirt’ on the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Kushner also attended. Although accepting campaign help from foreign nationals is illegal, the special counsel Robert Mueller said after investigating that there was not enough evidence to prove meeting participants knew they were breaking the law. Trump Jr may be accompanied by his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host.Trump’s eldest son and his brother, Eric, run their father’s business empire while he is in the White House. Officially, Trump Jr is executive vice-president of the Trump Organization. It was Trump Jr who met a Russian lawyer in an infamous Trump Tower meeting in New York in 2016, after the Russian offered him election ‘dirt’ on the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Kushner also attended. Although accepting campaign help from foreign nationals is illegal, the special counsel Robert Mueller said after investigating that there was not enough evidence to prove meeting participants knew they were breaking the law. Trump Jr may be accompanied by his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host.
Eric Trump is the co-leader of the Trump Organization during his father’s presidency. He has defended his father from accusations of racism, and called the president’s critics “not even people”. He is parodied on the weekly US satirical comedy TV show Saturday Night Live and elsewhere as the not-so-sharp Trump brother, though supporters call this portrayal inaccurate. Most recently, a watchdog group has been pressing to find out how much it cost taxpayers when Eric and members of one of the family’s golf clubs travelled to Scotland to play the links.Eric Trump is the co-leader of the Trump Organization during his father’s presidency. He has defended his father from accusations of racism, and called the president’s critics “not even people”. He is parodied on the weekly US satirical comedy TV show Saturday Night Live and elsewhere as the not-so-sharp Trump brother, though supporters call this portrayal inaccurate. Most recently, a watchdog group has been pressing to find out how much it cost taxpayers when Eric and members of one of the family’s golf clubs travelled to Scotland to play the links.
Lara Trump is a campaign adviser to Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and wife to Eric. A vocal defender of her father-in-law, she recently made headlines by saying the decision to let in large numbers of migrants fleeing war- and poverty-torn countries for Europe was “one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany”.Lara Trump is a campaign adviser to Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and wife to Eric. A vocal defender of her father-in-law, she recently made headlines by saying the decision to let in large numbers of migrants fleeing war- and poverty-torn countries for Europe was “one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany”.
Tiffany is the lowest profile of Trump’s adult children and his only child with second wife Marla Maples. She headed to London ahead of the rest of her family. The 25-year-old is a graduate student at Georgetown Law in Washington DC. She travelled to the Cannes film festival earlier this month with her wealthy boyfriend, in a trip that has drawn scrutiny over its cost to taxpayers in terms of security for the presidential daughter.Tiffany is the lowest profile of Trump’s adult children and his only child with second wife Marla Maples. She headed to London ahead of the rest of her family. The 25-year-old is a graduate student at Georgetown Law in Washington DC. She travelled to the Cannes film festival earlier this month with her wealthy boyfriend, in a trip that has drawn scrutiny over its cost to taxpayers in terms of security for the presidential daughter.
Security concerns meant the ceremonial welcome was held on the palace lawn instead of nearby Horse Guards Parade. So there was no carriage ride, thus no risk of a repeat of the welcome afforded China’s president, Xi Jinping, who ran the gauntlet of mass protests along the Mall. Shortly before Air Force One touched down at Stansted Airport, the US president heralded his arrival with a Twitter tirade against old adversary Sadiq Khan, condemning the mayor as a “stone cold loser”, comments the mayor’s office later rebuffed as “childish insults”.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall greeted the presidential couple. The Trumps then walked together to meet the Queen, who was waiting on the palace steps, and the first lady did an excellent job of aerating the lawn with her spiked high heels. However, by the time the president’s helicopter, Marine One, landed at Buckingham Palace for his long-desired ceremonial visit, he was wreathed in smiles, with his arrival marked by two 41-gun salutes, a guard of honour, and a white-tie-and-tiara banquet.
Accompanied by Prince Charles, and to a medley of American service tunes played by the band of the Grenadier Guards, the president then inspected the guard of honour by the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards. His daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, watched the ceremony from a palace balcony. There was even a wall: the high one that encloses Buckingham Palace gardens served to keep Trump, only the third US president to be honoured with a state visit, away from the public and protests. Security concerns meant there was no carriage ride, and therefore no risk of a repeat of the welcome accorded China’s president, Xi Jinping, who ran the gauntlet of mass protests along the Mall.
Earlier, Air Force One had touched down at Stansted airport where the president was met by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Immediately on landing Trump launched into a Twitter attack on the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. He tweeted that Khan was a “stone cold loser” in response to Khan’s critical article in Sunday’s Observer. The mayor’s office called Trump’s comments “childish insults” beneath the office of president.
The long-delayed state visit is the 113th hosted by the Queen, and is a meeting between two dynasties, one ancient, one fledgling. In a departure from protocol, Trump is combining the official visit with a family jaunt, reportedly bringing four of his five children: Ivanka, Donald Jr, Eric and Tiffany.
An upgrade on his previous “working visit”, where he had tea with the Queen, he now gets his long-desired white tie and tiara banquet. Around 170 guests who have cultural, diplomatic and economic links with the US will join the Trumps and royals in the grand ballroom at Buckingham Palace, to dine off the silver gilt of the Grand Service made for George IV. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable, both declined to attend.
The controversial visit, hastily offered by Theresa May after Trump’s inauguration, brings down the curtain on her troubled premiership.
Both the Tory leadership contender Boris Johnson and the Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, are expected to attend Trump’s return banquet on Tuesday, at the US ambassador’s London residence. In pre-visit interviews Trump made no attempt to hide his admiration for both men. In a further diplomatic gaffe, he also claimed other leadership candidates had sought out his endorsement.
Amid a huge security operation, there is little opportunity for the public to see the president as he is travelling by helicopter to most venues for engagements held behind closed doors.
Before his visit he publicly criticised May’s handling of Brexit and he is likely to be vocal on the subject of Huawei.
The royals will undoubtedly have to strain every diplomatic sinew.
After arriving in the UK on Air Force One on Monday 3 June, US president Donald Trump will be formally welcomed in a ceremony in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. It will be attended by the Queen and Prince Charles. The president will then attend a private lunch at the palace, which is expected to be attended by Prince Harry, but not his wife, who Trump recently described as 'nasty'.After arriving in the UK on Air Force One on Monday 3 June, US president Donald Trump will be formally welcomed in a ceremony in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. It will be attended by the Queen and Prince Charles. The president will then attend a private lunch at the palace, which is expected to be attended by Prince Harry, but not his wife, who Trump recently described as 'nasty'.
Following a wreath-laying ceremony in Westminster Abbey, Donald Trump will join Prince Charles for an afternoon tea at Clarence House. The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince Harry will then host a state banquet in the evening, which will be attended by prominent US citizens who live in the UK, as well as political and civic leaders.Following a wreath-laying ceremony in Westminster Abbey, Donald Trump will join Prince Charles for an afternoon tea at Clarence House. The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince Harry will then host a state banquet in the evening, which will be attended by prominent US citizens who live in the UK, as well as political and civic leaders.
On Tuesday 4 June the visit includes a breakfast meeting with Prince Andrew, and then talks and a press conference with prime minister Theresa May at Downing Street. On the Tuesday evening Trump hosts a dinner at the residence of the US ambassador.On Tuesday 4 June the visit includes a breakfast meeting with Prince Andrew, and then talks and a press conference with prime minister Theresa May at Downing Street. On the Tuesday evening Trump hosts a dinner at the residence of the US ambassador.
On Wednesday 5 June Trump will take part in commemoration services in Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The day ends with the Queen formally bidding farewell to the US president. On Wednesday 5 June Trump will take part in commemoration services in Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The day ends with the Queen formally bidding farewell to the US president. 
Trump’s entourage will also include two identical seven-seat black armoured limousines nicknamed ‘The Beast’, and a number of presidential helicopters. The president has at his side at all times one of five rotating military aides who carry the nuclear ‘football’ which can trigger a missile strike - equipped with communication tools and a book with prepared war plans.  Trump’s entourage will also include two identical seven-seat black armoured limousines nicknamed ‘The Beast’, and a number of presidential helicopters. The president has at his side at all times one of five rotating military aides who carry the nuclear ‘football’ which can trigger a missile strike - equipped with communication tools and a book with prepared war plans.  
The Queen has had some difficult guests during her 67-year reign. She famously hid behind a bush in the palace gardens on spotting the brutal Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu out for a stroll, to avoid spending more time with him than was strictly necessary. But never before has she been required to host a guest whose tactless comments have been so pointedly aimed at members of her family – specifically its female members. More than 250,000 protesters are expected to take to London’s streets in protests against Trump on Tuesday, when the Trump baby blimp is expected to appear once again.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, guests at the state banquet, will have been unimpressed by Trump’s tweet that Kate “only had herself to blame” when she was photographed sunbathing topless at a private villa in France. Prince William is unlikely to forget Trump’s comments, in a radio interview just months after his mother’s death, that Diana, Princess of Wales was “beautiful” but “crazy”. The billionaire once said he would have bedded Diana without hesitation, and bombarded her with bouquets, regarding her as “the ultimate trophy wife”, according to the broadcaster Selina Scott. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who will address the protesters in London on Tuesday, tweeted: “Tomorrow’s protest against Donald Trump’s state visit is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with those he’s attacked in America, around the world and in our own country – including, just this morning, @SadiqKhan”.
And, though Trump gets to glad-hand a monarch and two future kings, it is not quite a royal flush. The Duchess of Sussex, a vocal critic who has previously called him a “misogynist” and “divisive”, is conveniently on maternity leave and not expected to meet him. Trump’s ill-advised retaliation on the eve of the visit, in which he called her remarks “nasty”, however, will cast a pall over his meeting with Prince Harry at the royals’ private lunch at Buckingham Palace. The state visit, which is the 113th hosted by the Queen, saw a meeting between two dynasties, one ancient, one fledgling, as Trump combined the official visit with a family jaunt.
Tea at Clarence House always has the potential to be testing, given Prince Charles and Trump’s respective views on the climate crisis. The prince has called it “the wolf at the door”, while Trump has called it a “Chinese hoax” and “bullshit”. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, a presidential adviser, watched from a palace balcony as the president and First Lady, Melania Trump, were warmly greeted by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on the palace lawn, with Trump holding on to Prince Charles’s hand for 10 seconds.The president, who is understood to have also brought sons Donald Jnr and Eric and daughter Tiffany on the trip, was then officially welcomed by the Queen on the palace steps. The two shared a slightly awkward half handshake.
The visit to Westminster Abbey, with the Duke of York, to lay a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, may provide easier chat, given both men are huge golf fans. Accompanied by Charles, and to a medley of American service tunes played by the band of the Grenadier Guards, Trump then inspected the guard of honour by the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards. The first couple later joined the Queen, Charles and Camilla, Prince Harry and other royals for a private lunch, also attended by Ivanka and Kushner.
And there is some respite for the royals. Buckingham Palace refurbishments mean there is no available accommodation for the president and first lady, so they will be staying at the US ambassador’s residence in London’s Regent’s Park. As is usual, gifts were exchanged, though it transpired gifts are not Trump’s forte. The Queen presented him with a first edition of The Second World War by Winston Churchill and a three-piece pen set bearing the royal cypher.
Downing Street announced fresh details of the itinerary on Monday, including the fact that May will give the US president a private tour of the Churchill War Rooms after lunch on Tuesday, accompanied by historians. But on a tour of Royal Collection artefacts in the palace’s picture gallery, Trump was also shown the pewter horse he gave the Queen on his last visit. Asked if he recognised it, he replied “no” , at which point Melania jumped in, saying: “Yes, this is one of ours.” Trump did better when he was shown a book of tartans opened at the yellow design of his Scottish Hebridean mother’s MacLeod clan. “That’s my tartan,” he said immediately.
May and her husband, Philip, will welcome the president and first lady to Downing Street on Tuesday. The presidential plane was met at Stansted airport by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Even as it was taxiing in, Trump was launching his broadside against Khan, who has criticised Britain’s rolling out the red carpet for the visit.
There will then be a meeting in the cabinet room, at which the president and the prime minister will be accompanied by their delegations. On the UK side, that will include Hunt, a Tory leadership contender. The president tweeted: “Sadiq Khan, who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly ‘nasty’ to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me”.
Asked whether the president had preferred not to hold a one-to-one meeting with the prime minister, May’s spokesman said: “I’m sure the answer to that is no.” The president then appeared to use some downtime at the US ambassador’s residence to indulge another favourite pastime, venting his anger on Twitter on the regular topics of “fake news”, China, and the US broadcaster CNN. “Just arrived in the United Kingdom. The only problem is that CNN is the primary source of news available from the US,” he tweeted before condemning it as “All negative & so much Fake News”.
The spokesman also dismissed Trump’s forthright criticism of the way Brexit had been handled, saying May had “worked as hard as she possibly could to get the best deal for the UK”. The state visit is an upgrade on his previous “working visit”, where he had tea with the Queen. Around 170 guests, with cultural, diplomatic and economic links with the US, will join the first couple and senior royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in the grand ballroom at Buckingham Palace to dine off the silver gilt of the Grand Service made for George IV. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable, both declined to attend.
He added that whether to take up the president’s suggestion of giving Farage a role in the talks would be a matter for her successor. “The next phase of Brexit negotiations will be conducted by somebody else, not by the PM,” he said. Hastily offered by Theresa May after Trump’s inauguration, the visit brings down the curtain on her troubled premiership. Trump was vocal ahead of his visit in criticising her handling of Brexit.
On Tuesday afternoon, Philip May and Melania Trump will co-host a garden party at Downing Street for staff at the US embassy and No 10. Given both, there was no surprise when it emerged on Monday that there would be no formal one-to-one between president and prime minister during the visit. Instead the two will meet alongside their aides on Tuesday. Asked whether the president had preferred to hold a one-to-one meeting with the prime minister, May’s spokesman said: “I’m sure the answer to that is no.”
The visit culminates on Wednesday when Trump joins the Queen for 75th anniversary D-day commemorations in Portsmouth. The visit will undoubtedly see the royals straining every diplomatic sinew. And, though Trump gets to glad-hand a monarch and two future kings, it was not quite a royal flush. The Duchess of Sussex, a vocal critic who has previously called him a “misogynist” and “divisive”, is conveniently on maternity leave. Trump’s ill-advised retaliation on the eve of the visit, in which he called her remarks “nasty”, however, may have cast a shadow over his meeting with Prince Harry at the private lunch.
Before the banquet, the Trumps took tea at Clarence House with Charles and Camilla, and laid a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, accompanied by the Duke of York.
Given the 75th anniversary of D-day on Thursday, Trump’s visit culminates on Wednesday when he joins the Queen during commemorations in Portsmouth. He will also be escorted by May on a private tour of the Churchill War Rooms, from which Winston Churchill directed British forces during the second world war.
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