Details of Donald Trump’s unprecedented second state visit have been revealed by Buckingham Palace.
The US president‘s stay with the King and Queen for the first day of his two-day visit next Wednesday will have no public-facing element, and he will remain within the private Windsor estate.
Mr Trump will be treated to a flypast by the Red Arrows as well as UK and US F-35 military jets on the east lawn at Windsor Castle, as well as a special Beating Retreat military ceremony.
The special additions have never been deployed before for a state visit and will take place as well as the traditional grand state banquet and ceremonial welcome.
Mr Trump’s visit is set to be greeted by mass protests by the Stop Trump Coalition in both Windsor and London, with security heightened during his stay.
Prince and Princess of Wales will play key role
The Prince and Princess of Wales will play a key part in the high-profile visit, greeting the president and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, in the grounds of the Windsor estate on the morning of 17 September before accompanying them to meet the King and Queen for an open-air greeting.
Mr and Ms Trump, the King, Camilla, William and Kate will then take part in a carriage procession through the estate to the castle, with the carriage ride joined by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which will provide a Sovereign’s Escort, as well as members of the armed forces and three military bands.
In contrast to French President Emmanuel Macron, they will not enjoy a carriage ride through the town, nor take a trip into London to see the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.
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President and first lady will lay wreath on Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb
A ceremonial welcome with a guard of honour will be staged in the quadrangle of the castle, as is custom, followed by lunch with the royal family and a visit to see a Royal Collection exhibition within the castle.
The president and his wife will then visit St George’s Chapel privately on Wednesday afternoon to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.
An opulent state banquet will be held for Mr Trump on Wednesday evening in the castle’s St George’s Hall, where the King and US president will give speeches.
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The next day, the president and first lady will formally bid farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle in the morning, before Mr Trump heads to Chequers, the prime minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire.
He will meet Sir Keir Starmer and his wife and be greeted with a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers.
The president and prime minister will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at Chequers, before having a bilateral meeting and joining a business reception with the chancellor before a press conference.
First lady will meet Scouts
In the meantime, the first lady will carry out engagements with the Queen and Kate at Windsor.
She will tour Queen Mary’s Doll’s House and the Royal Library with the Queen, before joining Kate in Frogmore Gardens to meet chief Scout Dwayne Fields, as well as members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme as they learn about nature to achieve their Go Wild badge.
The US president will not visit Parliament – the House of Commons will be in recess for party conference season, though the House of Lords will still sit.
The Trumps’ visit has been shortened slightly to his busy schedule. It was originally planned to span from 17-19 September, but now Mr Trump, who is arriving on 16 September, will leave on 18 September.
