Catherine, Princess of Wales, is set to play a prominent role during the two-day state visit of U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, with organisers saying she will formally greet the couple at Windsor Castle and take part in public and private engagements across the royal estate.
The Princess of Wales will meet the Trumps alongside her husband, the Prince of Wales, in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning and will formally introduce them to King Charles III and Queen Camilla, organisers said. The couples are scheduled to take part in a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor Great Park escorted by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
After the procession, the Princess of Wales will join the Trumps for a private lunch followed by a viewing of works from the Royal Collection, officials said. The president and first lady are expected to pay a private visit to the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Chapel later in the visit.
A Trump source said the president and first lady were "thrilled" that the Princess of Wales would be "front and centre" for a number of events. The source said the Trumps had hoped she would take part but that arrangements were only confirmed this week because of the princess's health situation. The princess has been recovering from treatment for cancer, according to organisers.
The schedule also includes a visit by President Trump to Chequers, the country residence of the British prime minister, where he will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The president is to be greeted by bagpipers and shown items from the Sir Winston Churchill archives, provided by the National Trust at Chartwell House, organisers said. The two leaders will later host a reception for British and U.S. investors, with representatives from companies including GSK, Microsoft and Rolls-Royce expected to attend. The event will include the signing of a new technology partnership agreement.
A state banquet is scheduled for Wednesday evening at Windsor Castle. The princess, who is scheduled to attend the banquet, will also join the first lady the following morning in Frogmore Gardens, where they will be shown the Scouts' Squirrels programme.
Organisers provided a menu for one of the official lunches, saying it would include Dover sole with peas and potatoes. The itinerary mixes ceremonial engagements with bilateral meetings and business-facing events intended to highlight trade and technology cooperation between the two countries.
Buckingham Palace, the U.S. Embassy in London and the White House did not immediately provide further comment beyond the itinerary details released by the visit organisers. The programme follows formal planning between royal household officials and British and U.S. government teams to combine state ceremonial duties with opportunities for private diplomacy and investor outreach.
The inclusion of the Princess of Wales in multiple public engagements marks a high-profile return to duties since she began a period of medical treatment earlier this year. Palace and government officials have sought to balance the princess's private recovery with public duties, and those planning the visit said arrangements were finalised only after assessing her capacity to participate in scheduled events.
State visits traditionally blend ceremonial pageantry with diplomatic discussions and business meetings. This visit will include interactions at Windsor, a meeting at Chequers and a reception intended to advance commercial ties, reflecting organisers' stated aims to showcase shared economic and cultural links between the United Kingdom and the United States.