President Donald Trump delivered a toast to King Charles III at a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle, praising Princess Kate as 'radiant' and 'healthy' and calling the occasion 'one of the highest honors' of his life. He spoke from the dais between the king and Kate Middleton while First Lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla sat across from their husbands. 'I tell you I just stood in line and shook about 150 hands, and the king knew every single person and every single company,' Trump said, adding, 'Or at least I think he did, because nobody was complaining.'
Trump also framed the moment as a rare one for his visit, noting the unprecedented second state dinner he was receiving from the British royal family. He told the gathering that the evening reflected 'such respect for you and such respect for your country' and lauded Charles for decades of service to the monarchy and the British people. He praised the king's dedication to preserving the glory and unique character of the kingdom and gave a nod to the monarch's environmental work, saying Charles had 'dedicated himself to preserving the glory and unique character of this kingdom.' The president added that Charles had 'raised a remarkable son' in Prince William and told the prince that the future would hold 'unbelievable success.' Turning to Kate, Trump said: 'Melania and I are delighted to visit again with Prince William and to see Her Royal Highness, Princess Catherine, so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful.' The princess is in remission after chemotherapy for cancer, a fact Trump referenced as he offered his toast. He closed by acknowledging Queen Camilla: 'On behalf of all Americans, I offer a toast to one of the great friendships. To two great countries and to His Majesty, King Charles III, a very, very special man and also a very, very special queen.'
The president spoke as the rest of the table—where Melania Trump and Queen Camilla sat across from their husbands—listened. Kate, who wore a gold lace dress with a crown and royal blue sash, has publicly celebrated her remission, and Trump’s praise underscored the personal and ceremonial tone of the evening. The remarks came during a state dinner that highlighted the close, if sometimes contentious, ties between the two nations and their leaders.
The guest list reflected a blend of politics, business and entertainment, with roughly 160 attendees invited by the White House, the British government and the palace to a single long table—reportedly about 57.51 yards long. The room was lit by 139 candles and flowers from Buckingham Palace and the Saville Garden in Windsor Great Park.
Among the notable guests were Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. Tiffany Trump, the president’s daughter who traveled with her husband Michael Boulos, sat near Cook, and Michael Boulos was seated close by. Rupert Murdoch and Elena Murdoch were on the guest list, as was Christopher Ruddy, the founder of Newsmax. Tiffany wore an off-shoulder midnight blue gown and was accompanied by her husband, who had been excluded from the 2019 Buckingham Palace dinner but attended this time around, according to the notes. The guest mix underscored Trump’s expanded footprint among Silicon Valley leaders and other high-profile attendees.
The menu for the evening featured Hampshire watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and a quail egg salad, followed by organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes with a thyme and savory infused jus. The dessert was a vanilla ice cream bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet interior and lightly poached Victoria plums, completing a formal British-leaning course list for the 160 guests gathered at Windsor Castle.