President Trump met King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, during his 2019 state visit
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump arrived in the UK for an unprecedented second state visit.
Trump, who is accompanied by his wife Melania, will stay with King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, and will remain in the UK until Thursday night.
The president was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in June 2019.
What is a state visit?
A state visit is a formal trip to the UK by the head of a country. They are usually arranged at the invitation of the monarch, acting on government advice.
As well as being grand occasions with lots of pageantry, the visits are used by governments to further Britain’s interests.
Traditionally, US presidents serving a second term – such as Trump – are not offered a state visit. Instead, they are invited for tea or lunch with the monarch, as happened with former presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush.
However, in February Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer handed Trump an invitation from King Charles during a White House meeting to discuss a UK-US trade deal. Sir Keir said the invite was “truly historic” and “unprecedented”.
At the time, Trump said it was a “great, great honour”.
What will Trump do during the state visit and where will he be?
PA Media US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One as they arrive at Stansted Airport on Tuesday 16 September, ahead of the US President’s second state visit to the UK. PA Media
When they landed at Stansted airport on Tuesday evening, the Trumps were met by US Ambassador Warren Stephens and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting, welcomed them on behalf of the King.
Arriving in the UK, the president said: “I have a lot of things here that warm my heart. I want to tell you. It’s a very special place.”
The couple spent the night at the US ambassador’s residence, Winfield House, in central London.
The president and Mrs Trump are travelling to Windsor Castle where they will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales. They will then be formally welcomed by the King and Queen, ahead of a carriage procession through the Windsor Estate towards the castle.
The King will invite Trump to inspect the guard of honour, and a royal salute will be fired in Windsor and at the Tower of London.
Following lunch with members of the Royal Family, the president will visit St George’s Chapel in Windsor to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.
Later, there will be a flypast by UK and US F-35 military jets and the Red Arrows.
On Wednesday evening, a traditional state banquet will be held at the castle, during which both the King and president will deliver speeches.
How is Windsor preparing for Trump’s visit?
Aerial photo of Windsor Castle with an inset map locating it in relation to London. The image highlights areas of the castle that will be visited by Trump and Melania like the Quadrangle, the East Lawn, the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.
The president will travel to the prime minister’s country house Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, for a meeting with Sir Keir.
They will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives before holding a meeting and a press conference.
Aerial photo of Chequers Court with an inset map locating the region of Aylesbury, where the house is, north west of London. The image shows the main house, gardens and greenhouse on a sunny day.
Melania Trump will remain at Windsor Castle where she will tour the Royal Library and see Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, a famous miniature palace built in the 1920s.
She will also meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields with Catherine, who is joint president of the Scout Association.
Mrs Trump will then join her husband at Chequers before they return to the US.
What vehicles and personnel is Trump bringing to the UK?
Accompanying Trump are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, special envoy Steve Witkoff, chief of staff Susie Wiles and “other senior White House staff”.
Trump arrived in the UK on his customised, high-spec Boeing 747-200B aeroplane known as Air Force One.
Image and technical diagram of Air Force One, a customised Boeing 747-200B aircraft, showing exterior features like mid-air refuelling capability and EMP-resistant electronics. The main deck includes the President’s suite with office and gym, a medical facility, a conference and dining room, and a press section. The top deck features a crew lounge, flight deck, and communication centre. The aircraft accommodates 26 crew members and 70 passengers.
Once on the ground, the president travels in Cadillac One – an enhanced limousine nicknamed “The Beast”.
Two identical versions of the presidential limousine – as well as several other Secret Service vehicles – are flown over to the UK in military cargo planes in advance of Trump’s arrival.
While Trump will make some short journeys by limousine in the UK, he is expected to do most of his travelling by air – as was the case during his trip to Scotland in July.
The president will have brought a fleet of helicopters with him including Marine One which, like Air Force One, is not a specific aircraft but instead refers to any US Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president.
The president’s security has been tightened in recent days following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah.
Are protests expected during Trump’s state visit?
Police have arrested four people on suspicion of projecting images of Donald Trump and the late disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on to the walls of Windsor Castle.
The footage appeared on Tuesday night as Trump touched down in London.
The Stop Trump coalition is planning a “Trump Not Welcome” demonstration in London on Wednesday September.
It had called on the government to cancel the visit, accusing the US president of “denying climate science” and “siding with war criminals – in Israel, Russia and beyond”.
The group organised protests in Aberdeen and Edinburgh during Trump’s recent visit. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the two cities.
Trump was also booed by protesters who gathered along the perimeter of his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, and a paraglider flew over the resort hotel with a banner criticising his presidency.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would boycott the ceremonial banquet for Trump to “send a message” over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Which other state visits has King Charles hosted?
• French President Emmanuel Macron visited the UK in July
• Since King Charles succeeded Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, he has hosted state visits from a number of international leaders and royals:
• July 2025: French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte
• December 2024: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his wife Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani
• June 2024: Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan
• November 2023: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee.
He and Queen Camilla have carried out state visits to France, Italy, Germany, Kenya and Samoa.
BBC
