It’s the sort of experience you just can’t buy.
The carriages are being polished, the family silver is being laid out, and diamonds are being dusted off as King Charles III prepares to offer a royal welcome to Donald Trump for what will be the highlight of the US president's unprecedented second state visit to Britain.
Hundreds of soldiers, gardeners and chefs are putting the finishing touches on their preparations to make sure the president and first lady Melania Trump get the full royal treatment.
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But it’s a spectacle with a purpose: to bolster ties with a world leader known for a love of bling at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements globally.
The second leg of the visit will take place on Thursday, when Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet at Chequers, the 16th-century redbrick mansion in the Chiltern Hills northwest of London that serves as the official country estate of British prime ministers.
The government hopes a technology deal to be signed during the trip will underline the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.
The backdrop for day one will be Windsor Castle, an almost 1,000-year-old royal residence with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks.
It’s a scene that has seemed to enchant Trump, who ditched his trademark bluster and described the invitation to Windsor as “a great, great honour.”
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“I think that also is why he seems so visibly excited about the second meeting, because it isn’t an invitation given to (just) anyone,” said George Gross, an expert on the British monarchy at King’s College London.
Trump said on Tuesday after arriving in London that he loved being back in the United Kingdom, calling it a “very special place.”
Asked if he had a message for Charles, he said the king was a longtime friend of his and well-respected.
While Britain’s royals long ago gave up real political power, their history, tradition and celebrity give them a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet an invitation to join them.
That makes the invitations, handed out at the request of the elected government, a powerful tool to reward friends and wring concessions out of reluctant allies.
State banquet
No US president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second UK state visit.
That won’t be lost on a president who often describes his actions with superlatives and has made no secret of his fondness for the British royals.
The day will begin when the king and Queen Camilla formally welcome the Trumps to Windsor Castle.
That will be followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride through the estate — 6,400 hectares of farms, forest and open space that includes a one-time royal hunting ground which is still home to 500 red deer.
Back at the castle, a military band will play God Save the King and The Star-Spangled Banner before Trump and the king inspect an honor guard of soldiers in traditional scarlet tunics and tall bearskin hats.
After a private lunch and a visit to an exhibit of documents and artwork illustrating the ties between Britain and the US, it will be time for the glitz and glamour of a state banquet.
Tiaras and medals will be on display as up to 160 guests in formal wear gather around a 50-metre long mahogany table set with 200-year-old silver to honor the president. Charles will deliver a speech, then the king and president will offer toasts.
Trump won’t, however, have the chance to address a joint session of Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did in July during his state visit, because the House of Commons is in recess.
The president also missed out on that honor during his first state visit amid opposition from then-Speaker of the House John Bercow.
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‘It’s very dreary’
Most state visits are staged in London, against the grand backdrop of Buckingham Palace and the broad, flag-lined boulevard known as The Mall.
But this one is taking place in the cozier confines of Windsor, a historic town of just over 30,000 people about 40 kilometers west of central London.
That makes it easier to control protests and protect the president at a time of increased international tensions, especially after the fatal shooting of Trump ally Charlie Kirk last week in Utah.
Even so, British police have mounted a massive police operation to ensure the president’s safety.
When Trump was in London on his first state visit in 2019, he was met by thousands of protesters who filled the streets outside the Houses of Parliament as a balloon shaped like a giant, diaper-wearing baby Trump floated overhead.
Robert Lacey, a royal historian and the consultant on the Netflix television series “The Crown,” said Windsor is also a more “photogenic setting” for a state visit.
“Buckingham Palace has got its balcony, it’s got its façade,” he said.
But “inside it’s very dreary and it’s currently being renovated, which is one reason why Mr Trump will not be staying there. Windsor is a proper castle.”
