The Princess of Wales hosted First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor's Home Park, presenting autumnal chic in a Ralph Lauren skirt as she welcomed Trump to meet a group of Scouts Squirrels, the youngest segment of the UK Scouting movement.
On the lawns of Frogmore Gardens, the two groups of Squirrels were guided through nature-themed activities, including building a bug hotel and leaf printing using fallen leaves collected from the grounds. Dwayne Fields, Chief Scout, escorted the guests to the activity areas and introduced the children as they worked toward their 'Go Wild' badge. Kate and Melania led a badge presentation for the Squirrels and hosted a picnic for the young group. The Princess had organized a special packed lunch for the children, with sandwiches made from honey produced by the Wales family's hives at Anmer Hall, and the First Lady planned to gift each child a jar of White House honey as a memento. A spokesman for the couple noted that the wellbeing of young children is important to both the Princess and the First Lady.
The Princess of Wales has long been involved with the Scouts, serving as joint president with the Duke of Kent since 2020. The state visit schedule published by Buckingham Palace details a range of activities, including yesterday evening's state banquet, where Kate appeared in a Phillipa Lepley silk crepe gown beneath a gold Chantilly lace evening coat. She also wore the late Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Family Order and a blue sash indicating her role in the order of precedence. The tiara she wore—the Lover's Knot, a Diana heirloom—was crafted by Garrard in 1914 and has been worn by future royal brides and brides-to-be. The accompanying headpiece frames Kate's newly bronde hair, worn down in soft waves, and she paired it with drop earrings. Prince William wore the Windsor Uniform with the blue sash and the star of the Order of the Garter, along with medals representing his service in the orders of the Bath, the King’s reign, and the late Queen's jubilees.
Preparations for the banquet were described as meticulous, with the King and Queen consort reported to have inspected the arrangements in advance. A bespoke cocktail for the occasion, Transatlantic Whisky Sour, blended Johnnie Walker Black with marmalade citrus, topped with pecan foam and a toasted marshmallow on a star-shaped biscuit. President Trump is known to be a teetotaler, and it was noted that he did not sample the available wines or the cocktail. The banquet itself required months of planning, with household staff typically spending several days laying the table and ensuring every detail was approved in advance by the royal household.
Earlier today, Queen Camilla and Melania Trump visited the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, viewing miniature dolls' house books and observing school children as they drew in their own tiny volumes. The day’s events also included a briefing on the Scouting project and a continuation of the focused collaboration between the US First Lady and the Princess on youth and nature education. The state visit, described by aides as a broad cultural and diplomatic engagement, began on Tuesday and was scheduled to run through the end of today, with a program that balanced formal diplomacy with hands-on experiences for young people.
The day’s activities—ranging from hands-on nature projects with young Scouts to a formal royal banquet—underscore the Crown’s public-facing role in promoting youth welfare, biodiversity, and transatlantic cultural ties. The programme highlighted shared commitments to children and education, even as it underscored the ceremonial aspects of royal tradition and state diplomacy.