In an unprecedented move, U.S. President Donald Trump will make a second state visit to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19, Buckingham Palace announced Monday. The visit will see Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
Trump, a vocal admirer of the British royal family—especially the current monarch—becomes the first U.S. president to receive a second invitation for a formal state visit. His first came in 2019 during his initial term, when he was received by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The second invitation was personally delivered to Trump by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a February meeting at the White House. Reacting to the invitation, Trump called it a “great, great honor” and expressed delight at staying at Windsor Castle, saying, “That’s really something.”
Traditionally, second-term American presidents are offered more modest royal engagements, such as tea or lunch at Windsor—an honor previously extended to George W. Bush and Barack Obama. A full state visit for a returning president is without precedent.
State visits are largely ceremonial but play a strategic diplomatic role in honoring allies and fostering bilateral ties. Though formally issued by the monarch, such invitations are extended on the advice of the British government.
The upcoming visit is seen as part of Prime Minister Starmer’s broader strategy to maintain close ties with Trump and insulate the U.K. from potentially adverse U.S. policies, including trade tariffs. Observers note that the warm relationship between the two leaders has thus far shielded Britain from some of the economic measures levied against other countries.
However, the visit is expected to draw both acclaim and controversy. Trump’s previous visit in 2019 was marked by large-scale protests, including the now-infamous “Trump Baby” blimp flown over Parliament Square. This time, criticism has already emerged from within Starmer’s own Labour Party, with lawmakers questioning the appropriateness of the honor, citing Trump’s continued support for Israel’s war in Gaza and his recent comments undermining the sovereignty of allies such as Canada and Greenland.
