Trump Making Unprecedented Second UK State Visit: What to Know
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President Donald Trump's second state visit to Britain has been set for September, marking a historic moment for the president.
Charles will host Trump at Windsor Castle, just like he did Emmanuel Macron of France last week.
"The President of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump, accompanied by the First Lady Mrs. Melania Trump, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 17 September to 19 September 2025," Buckingham Palace's announcement read.
"His Majesty The King will host The President and Mrs. Trump at Windsor Castle."
Trump will become the first president to make two official state visits to the U.K.
King Charles III and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during their state visit, in London, on June 4, 2019.
King Charles III and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during their state visit, in London, on June 4, 2019.
Chris Jackson -Donald Trump's Arrival
The details are still being finalized but one option would be to mirror the choreography from Macron's visit, which saw the French president arrive at R.A.F. Northolt, in West London.
Macron was greeted there by Prince William and Princess Kate before traveling some 14 miles to Windsor Castle for the official welcoming ceremony.
Trump touched down at Stansted during two visits in his first term but those were London-based and the commercial airport is further from Windsor than R.A.F. Northolt.
Official Welcome
One decision, though, will be whether to offer Trump a carriage procession through Windsor as part of the official ceremonial, as was done for Macron.
Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I, told Newsweek: "R.A.F. Northolt will be repeated because that is standard for a state visit to Windsor but what won't be repeated is the carriage drive around the town.
"I just cannot see the Secret Service allowing it to happen when you could have someone in an upstairs window taking a potshot at the President.
"There's no way that the carriage ride is going to happen which is a shame. It was so intimate for Charles and Macron because it was Windsor and you're quite close up to what was happening, but its definitely not going to happen."
What there will likely be is a Guard of Honor at the Quadrangle in Windsor Castle, which Trump and Charles will likely inspect together.
Another precedent is Joe Biden's visit to the U.K. in June 2021 which ran along those lines.
Biden had been at the G7 summit in Cornwall and helicoptered into Windsor where there was a guard of honor formed of The Queen's Company, First Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
Queen Elizabeth II then met Biden privately in Windsor Castle but there were posed photos in The Grand Corridor, George IV's largest addition and where he hung his most impressive artwork, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
Protests
The Stop Trump Coalition is planning a protest for September 17 at 2 p.m. in London, according to its website. A further protest will be organized at Windsor, The Independent reported.
Trump's past visits have attracted major demonstrations, hence the absence of a carriage procession in his first term, due to security fears. Royal carriages are, of course, not quite as impenetrable as the presidential state car, nicknamed The Beast.
In 2018, there were reportedly 250,000 protesters in London, according to The Independent.
The president is no more popular in Britain now, with polling by YouGov showing 57 percent of Brits think he has been a "terrible president," 13 percent a "poor president," 9 percent a "good president" and 4 percent a "great president," as of June 23.
The location in Windsor, however, may dissuade the less dedicated demonstrators, with only the more motivated willing to make the train journey west from London.
Donald Trump's U.K. Itinerary
Major renovations at Buckingham Palace mean the three-day visit will be hosted at Windsor Castle, but the President is also expected to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which could happen either in Windsor or in London.
Unlike Macron, though, there are no plans for Trump to address Parliament, in part because Britain's legislature will be in recess.
They could hypothetically recall Parliament but that would be a gift to any politicians who might want to rock Starmer's diplomatic apple cart and there are plenty of those within his own party.
Starmer and Trump will have much to talk about with the war between Russia and Ukraine high up the agenda, perhaps alongside trade, and the entire purpose of the visit is part of the U.K. Government's charm offensive to keep the President on the same page as Britain diplomatically.
There will be a State Banquet and the royals will be out in force, with tiaras likely for the grand occasion.
Princess Kate made it to Macron's visit and wore the Lover's Knot Tiara, which she paired with a Givenchy gown by Sarah Burton, her wedding dress designer.
One other possibility is Trump may, like Macron, privately visit St George's Chapel, in Windsor, to lay flowers on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.
Trump did not attend her funeral or her lying-in-state at Westminster Hall as Joe Biden was president at the time, so it would be an opportunity to pay his respects to a woman he has said he had huge respect for.
The View at the Palace
A palace aide told Newsweek earlier this year how Trump's team were easy to work with during his first term, in no small part because the president loves the Monarchy.
"Everyone who was around at the time when the President visited recalls it with genuine warmth," they said, "and actually both the team and the principals were incredibly courteous, polite, engaged and engaging.
"So it's one of those visits that's remembered with great affection and positivity here."
King Charles' Invitation to Trump
In February 2025, during Starmer's official visit to Washington, he hand-delivered Trump a letter from King Charles, inviting him for a second state visit.
The Oval Office moment was carefully orchestrated: Starmer presented the letter publicly in front of the cameras.
Trump, visibly intrigued, remarked, "Am I supposed to read it right now?" as he examined the private, signed letter before the gathered media.
"This is really special. This has never happened before. Unprecedented," Starmer said. "I think that just symbolizes the strength of the relationship between us."
"I think the last state visit was a tremendous success," he continued. "His Majesty the King wants to make this even better than that. So, this is truly historic."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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