President Donald Trump will head to the U.K. for a second state visit later this year alongside his wife, First Lady Melania Trump
The King extended an official invitation to the President that was hand-delivered to the White House last week, Buckingham Palace has confirmed
The state visit marks a change from the more “informal” trip that was initially planned
King Charles will welcome President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the U.K. later this year, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
Formal planning for the state visit is underway, with an authoritative report in The Times saying it will take place in September. A formal letter of invitation — known as a ‘manu regia’ — signed by the King, 76, was hand-delivered to the White House by British officials in Washington last week.
A Palace aide says, “His Majesty has known President Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the First Lady later this year.”
It was initially thought that a less formal visit would take place at one of Charles’ Scottish homes, possibly during the summer break, with another, longer visit to follow.
In his initial letter of invitation, handed to Trump in the Oval Office by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in February, Charles suggested such an informal visit would also offer a “valuable chance to plan a historic second State Visit to the United Kingdom.”
However, due to both the King’s and the President’s schedules, that has not been possible to arrange, PEOPLE understands.
Upon receiving the initial February invitation, Trump gladly accepted the monarch’s hospitality.
“The answer is yes, on behalf of our wonderful first lady, Melania, and myself, the answer is yes,” he said. “We look forward to being there and honoring the King, honoring your country. Your country is a fantastic country, and it will be an honor to be there.”
The visit will most likely center on Windsor Castle, and Prince William and Kate Middleton will probably help Charles and Queen Camilla to welcome the guests and attend a glittering state banquet.
It will be a second and unprecedented state visit for Trump, coming after he visited the late Queen Elizabeth in 2019.
That trip came after much back-and-forth about timings due to protest fears, The New York Times reported at the time.
During their visit, a state banquet was hosted at Buckingham Palace by the late Queen, with the then-Prince Charles, the future Queen Camilla, William, and Kate in attendance.
Elizabeth also met Trump and Melania on July 13, 2018, at Windsor Castle, where the president made waves by walking in front of the monarch while inspecting the Guard of Honor, widely interpreted as a breach of protocol around the sovereign.
