The British royal family is preparing a red carpet for President Trump.
Buckingham Palace announced in July that the 79-year-old and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, would pay a state visit to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19. King Charles III will host the couple at Windsor Castle.
Trump is the first American president to be invited to two state visits by a British monarch. In 2019, during his first administration, he and Melania Trump were hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of “My Mother and I,” told Fox News Digital that royal watchers can expect the royal family’s usual pomp and pageantry.
“This particular state visit is very significant,” she told reporters. “Everyone refers to the monarchy’s’soft power’. Our constitution prohibits King Charles from doing or saying anything remotely political. Despite being the head of state and monarch, he avoids political involvement. But this event strengthens the relationship between the two countries, and it’s something everyone is looking forward to.
“The royal family is especially looking forward to this,” Seward insisted. “Trump’s portrayal of the royal family is extremely flattering.” The late queen was amused by Trump and liked him. There is a good vibe all around before it even begins.”
According to the royal family’s website, foreign monarchs, presidents, and prime ministers are invited to visit the king or queen on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will greet their American guests before accompanying them to see Charles and Queen Camilla. As the king and queen formally greet the president and first lady, a royal salute will be fired from Windsor Castle’s east lawn and the Tower of London. Then Trump and Melania will accompany Charles and Camilla, as well as William and Kate, in a carriage procession through the Windsor estate to the castle.
“They will go into lunch with as many of the royal family as the king can pull together, which will be most of the family,” according to Seward.
After lunch, Trump will pay a visit to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor to lay a wreath at the queen’s tomb. The Red Arrows, as well as F-35 military jets from the United Kingdom and the United States, will perform a flypast.
The glamorous state banquet, scheduled for Wednesday evening, is one of the many highlights of the state visit. Approximately 150 guests are typically invited based on their cultural, diplomatic, or economic ties to the country being hosted.
Darren McGrady, a personal chef for the late Queen, Princess Diana, and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, told Fox News Digital that there is no room for error on the menu. He worked as a royal chef for 15 years, cooking for five US presidents.
“You are preparing the food that the king or the queen really enjoys,” according to him. “I know that when I was the chef, the kitchen would send up to four different menus to the queen, and she would select the one she liked best. However, before that, there are numerous meetings between the foreign office and the monarch’s office to determine whether there are any allergens or foods they dislike. The goal is to make the visiting guest feel as welcome as you would any other guest.”
When French President Macron paid a state visit in July, the king brought along a French chef. It is unclear whether an American chef will be invited to collaborate on the menu for Trump’s visit. Guests can expect to savor many of the king and queen’s favorite dishes, which represent the best of the United Kingdom and are based on foolproof recipes.
“The queen was a fan of chocolate — the darker, the better,” said the man. “There was always chocolate on the menu.” King Charles is not a fan of chocolate. He loves cheese and organic produce. I see wild mushrooms on the menu. I see lambs. It was certainly important for the chefs to highlight indigenous produce, such as salmon from the Balmoral estate in Scotland or venison from Sandringham. It typically includes any food grown on the estate. It represents the best of British produce and recipes.
“There were two things the queen didn’t eat — garlic and strong onion dishes,” he recalled. “After eating garlic and then breathing garlic while meeting people the next day, she realized it wasn’t the best idea. But she enjoyed it whenever beef was served. She preferred it well-done, which the chefs in the kitchen had to accept. If we were doing a prime rib roast, the queen would get a slice from each end, the well-done pieces.”
While the guest list is kept secret, Seward stated that celebrities are expected to attend. When former President Obama attended the state banquet in 2011, Tom Hanks was among those invited.
“We always seem to produce Elton John,” explained Seward. “One of his houses is located just outside Windsor. He’s a longtime friend of the royal family. Mick Jagger was present with his girlfriend when Macron arrived, which is unusual.
Nonetheless, the dinner is “the big showpiece,” she explained.
“Being Trump, he’ll probably make some very amusing remarks,” Seward told me. “The royal family enjoys it. They enjoy that kind of thing. They have had numerous state visits over the years, which, to be honest, bore them. It’s all beautiful, of course, but the person they’re entertaining isn’t always as entertaining as Trump. So I believe they’re looking forward to that.”
The events do not end there.
On Thursday, the president will meet with the prime minister to view Sir Winston Churchill’s archives. They’ll also hold a press conference. Melania and Kate will visit Frogmore Gardens to meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels nature-based program. Kate, 43, has been a joint president of the Scout Association since 2020.
Melania will then join her husband at Chequers before returning to the United States.
Previously, Charles signed a formal invitation, known as a “manu regia,” and British officials hand-delivered it to the White House, inviting Trump to a state visit.
“His Majesty has known President Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the first lady later this year,” a palace employee stated.
