Thousands are expected to take to the streets across the country in protest against the visit
Donald Trump will arrive in the UK this evening for an unprecedented second state visit at Windsor Castle and the Prime Minister’s country house at Chequers.
Trump and his wife Melania will on Wednesday take part in a carriage procession through the Windsor estate, as well as a state banquet, before meeting with Sir Keir Starmer to discuss political issues on Thursday.
The US President and his wife will be waved off back to the US by the Lord Chamberlain later that day.
Thousands are expected to take to the streets across the country in protest against the visit.
Although Trump will not visit Parliament, where the House of Commons will be in recess for party conference session, campaigners said they will demonstrate against what they called “our government’s choice to honour a man who is violating human rights in the United States and around the world”.
What is the President’s itinerary looking like?
- Tuesday 16 September
Trump will arrive in the UK this evening.
He and Mrs Trump will be greeted by US ambassador Warren Stephens and the Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting, on behalf of the King.
- Wednesday 17 September
The Trumps will travel to Windsor Castle, where they will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
This will be followed by a formal greeting from he King and Queen, who is hoping to be well enough for the occasion after dropping out of the Duchess of Kent’s funeral today with a case of acute sinusitis.
At this moment, a royal salute will simultaneously be fired from the East Lawn and the Tower of London.
There will then be a carriage procession through the Windsor estate with the King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, and displays by the Armed Forces. As the procession moves off, both the UK and US national anthems will be played.
A ceremonial guard of honour will be staged in the quadrangle of the castle, with the state colours of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards on display together for the first time on such an occasion.
Music will be provided by the Massed Bands of the Foot Guards and the Pipes and Drums. Trump will inspect the guard of honour, accompanied by the King.
The Trumps will lunch with the Royal Family before being shown a special display of items from the Royal Collection.
Trump will then lay a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, who is buried underneath St. George’s Chapel. He and his wife will be given a tour of the chapel, and hear a performance from the choir.
They will then rejoin the King and Queen, as well as Sir Keir and Lady Starmer, to see a Beating Retreat ceremony on the East Lawn, concluding with a flypast by UK and US F-35 military jets and the Red Arrows.
Over in London, there will be a protest in Parliament Square against the state visit from 5pm, supported by supported by Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Black Lives Matter and the National Education Union.
In the evening, the Trumps will attend a state banquet at Windsor Castle, with both the US President and the King giving speeches.
- Thursday 18 September
Trump will bid farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle before travelling to Chequers to meet Starmer and his wife.
Their arrival will be marked by a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers.
Trump and Starmer will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives ahead of a bilateral meeting.
They will then join a business reception, hosted by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, during which both will deliver remarks. After this, they will held a press conference.
Meanwhile, the Queen will go with Mrs Trump for a tour of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.
Mrs Trump will then meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields at Frogmore Gardens with the Princess of Wales, who is joint president of the Scout Association.
They will meet members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme who are working towards their Go Wild nature badge.
Mrs Trump will then travel to Chequers to rejoin her husband. The pair will be waved off by the Lord Chamberlain before they fly back to the US later in the day.
