President Donald Trump will be the guest of King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state visit that runs Sept. 16–18 and will include a ceremonial carriage procession, a royal salute and a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace said.
Buckingham Palace told reporters that the president and First Lady Melania Trump will arrive on the morning of Sept. 17 and be greeted by the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom before meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales, who will accompany them to meet the king and queen. The palace said "Their Majesties The King and Queen will formally welcome The President and First Lady outside, as a Royal Salute is fired from the East Lawn of Windsor Castle and at the Tower of London." The visit is taking place at Windsor because Buckingham Palace is undergoing an extensive renovation scheduled to finish in 2027.
The palace said the president and first lady will join the king, queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales in a carriage procession through the Windsor estate toward the castle, an element not present during Trump's previous UK visit in June 2019. After the procession, the Trumps will have lunch in the State Dining Room.
Later in the afternoon, the president and first lady will visit St. George's Chapel to privately lay a wreath on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the palace said. The couple will be given a short tour of the chapel and will hear a musical performance by the chapel choir.
A state banquet is planned for the evening and is expected to be attended by more than 150 people, including members of the royal family, British and American political figures and public figures with ties to both countries. The palace said the event will mirror the scale of the procession and ceremonial elements provided for French President Emmanuel Macron in July.
The White House confirmed that Trump has invited former British ambassador to the United States Dame Karen Pierce to attend the banquet. On Thursday, the president is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The palace noted that the visit coincides with a parliamentary recess, and Trump will not make an address to MPs.
The itinerary elevates the role of the Princess of Wales compared with the 2019 visit; Buckingham Palace said she will undertake a joint engagement with the first lady. Officials emphasized ceremonial elements and private remembrances of the late queen as central parts of the program.
The visit marks the second state visit to the U.K. by President Trump and comes as the royal household continues to manage large-scale refurbishment at Buckingham Palace, diverting some formal activities to Windsor Castle until the renovation is completed in 2027.
