Former U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles III for an official state visit to the United Kingdom in September—an unprecedented second such honor.
Trump and his wife, Melania, will be hosted at Windsor Castle from September 17 to 19, Buckingham Palace confirmed. The visit was arranged after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally delivered the King’s invitation during a February meeting in the White House.
Due to ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace, Windsor will serve as the primary venue, with a full ceremonial welcome and state banquet expected to take place in St George’s Hall. The event will involve all senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who reside on the castle grounds.
This marks Trump’s second state visit—his first was in 2019 under Queen Elizabeth II. It’s rare for a U.S. president to be granted more than one state visit; second-term leaders are typically only offered informal meetings or private luncheons.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently visited Windsor as well, signaling the castle’s growing role in high-level diplomacy. His visit included a carriage procession, a feature unlikely to be repeated for Trump due to enhanced security concerns.
Security is expected to be tight. In 2019, Trump was flown between locations rather than driven, and there was no public procession down The Mall. Similar precautions are likely this time, especially with no public-facing events confirmed so far.
It remains unclear whether Trump will address Parliament—a common element of state visits. The House of Commons will be in recess during his visit, though the House of Lords will be in session.
The visit follows speculation that King Charles and Trump might meet informally during Trump’s planned stop in Scotland later this month to open his new Aberdeenshire golf course. However, logistical issues prevented that meeting.
Trump has previously expressed admiration for the royal family. In April, he remarked, “I’m a friend of Charles. I have great respect for King Charles, William, and the entire family.”
Analysts suggest the invitation may serve as a diplomatic strategy by the UK government to maintain influence with the U.S., especially on issues like the war in Ukraine and trade tariffs affecting British exports.
