With the Union Jack set to flutter alongside the Stars and Stripes, the United Kingdom is preparing for a state visit that’s as unprecedented as it is meticulously choreographed. From September 17 to 19, 2025, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, marking the first time a U.S. president has been invited for two state visits by a British monarch. The royal family, ever the masters of pageantry and protocol, are pulling out all the stops for what’s shaping up to be a dazzling display of soft power and diplomatic theater.
According to BBC, the aim is clear: dazzle and flatter the American president with the ultimate red-carpet experience. The schedule is jam-packed—squeezed into just a day and a half—with nearly every moment dedicated to royal spectacle. Guards of honour, flypasts by U.K. and U.S. F-35 jets alongside the Red Arrows, historic carriages, and a lavish banquet await the Trumps. Security concerns mean there’ll be no public procession or cheering crowds; instead, events are closed, with helicopters and carriage rides winding through the Windsor estate.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, told Fox News Digital, “This particular state visit is very significant. Everyone is calling it the ‘soft power’ of the monarchy. King Charles can’t do anything remotely political or even say anything remotely political because that’s our constitution. He’s head of state, and he’s monarch, but he doesn’t get involved in politics. … But this event strengthens the relationship between both nations, and it’s one everyone is looking forward to.”
Indeed, the royal family is especially looking forward to the visit. “Trump is extremely flattering of the royal family. … The late queen was very amused by Trump, and she liked him. There is a good feeling all around before it has even started,” Seward added. The enthusiasm is mutual; Trump, whose mother was captivated by royal pomp, has long expressed admiration for the monarchy. As he wrote in The Art of the Deal, “A meeting with the Queen of England was the ultimate sign, that he, Trump, had made it in life.”
The official welcome will be a feast for the senses. As Prince William and Kate Middleton greet the Trumps and accompany them to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla, a royal salute will be fired from the east lawn of Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. Then, the Trumps, Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate will join a carriage procession through the Windsor estate—a spectacle designed to impress even the most seasoned of dignitaries.
Once inside the castle, the royal family will gather for lunch, with as many members present as the king can assemble. According to Seward, “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.” Later, Trump will pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II by laying a wreath on her tomb in St George’s Chapel—an act rich with symbolism, particularly given the queen’s reported fondness for the president during his prior visit.
The centerpiece of the visit, however, is the state banquet in St George’s Hall. The guest list, kept under wraps, is expected to include celebrities, diplomats, and economic heavyweights. As Seward noted, “We always seem to produce Elton John. One of his houses is just outside Windsor. He’s a real old friend of the royal family. When Macron was here, Mick Jagger was there with his girlfriend, which is quite unusual.” The dinner is “the big showpiece,” she said. “Being Trump, he’ll probably make some very amusing remarks. The royal family loves it. They love that kind of thing.”
Royal chef Darren McGrady, who cooked for five U.S. presidents, including both Bushes, described the banquet’s culinary stakes to Fox News Digital: “You are preparing the food that the king or the queen really enjoys. I know that when I was the chef, the kitchen would send up to four different menus for the queen, and she would choose the one she liked the best. But before that, there are lots and lots of meetings between the foreign office and the monarch’s office to find out if there are any allergens or any foods they don’t like. The goal is to make the visiting guest feel welcomed, just like you would want any guest coming over to feel.”
The menu will showcase the best of British and American cuisine, with five or six different glasses at each place setting in a hall lined with royal portraits and suits of armour. While the late Queen Elizabeth II was partial to chocolate and well-done beef, King Charles favors cheese, organic produce, and indigenous ingredients such as wild mushrooms, lamb, and salmon from the Balmoral estate. “It’s typically any food that was grown on the estate. It’s the best of British produce and recipes,” McGrady explained.
Thursday’s itinerary extends the diplomatic hospitality. Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Melania Trump will visit a nature project involving the Scouts at Frogmore Gardens. Kate, who has been joint president of the Scout Association since 2020, will introduce Melania to Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Squirrels nature-based program. Later, Melania will rejoin her husband at Chequers before the couple returns to the U.S.
But beneath the glittering surface, there’s a clear diplomatic purpose. The UK government hopes that this gilded reception will help deliver its message on thorny issues like Ukraine and trade tariffs. “Trump loves the monarchy and the Royal Family. It’s a potential diplomatic ace card for the UK government,” said Professor Anna Whitelock of City St George’s, University of London, to BBC. This attraction to royalty is seen as giving King Charles a “rare advantage” in dealing with Trump, who usually expects to have the upper hand.
Yet, as Sir Anthony Seldon, biographer of UK prime ministers, pointed out, the King faces a delicate balancing act. “At the same time, King Charles is in the most delicate of positions. His own known views, on the environment, and standing up for democracy and the rule of law in Europe, are a long way apart from the president’s. He will, I am sure, be scrupulously correct and civil.” Every word of the King’s speech at the banquet will be vetted in close consultation with the government, aiming to strike the right diplomatic chord while steering clear of controversy.
This visit also underscores a shift in Charles’s role. Once criticized for “meddling” in politics, he’s now being encouraged to employ the monarchy’s soft power to influence global affairs. His recent gestures of support to Ukraine’s President Zelensky and Canada amid tensions with Trump have drawn praise. Former Canadian high commissioner Jeremy Kinsman described Charles’s intervention as “outstanding,” noting that Trump’s rhetoric softened afterward.
For Trump, the monarchy represents more than just political theater; it’s a personal fascination that dates back to his childhood. As Fiona Hill, his former Russia adviser, wrote, “A meeting with the Queen of England was the ultimate sign, that he, Trump, had made it in life.”
With both nations watching, the upcoming state visit promises a blend of spectacle, strategy, and perhaps a dash of genuine camaraderie—proof that, sometimes, the most powerful diplomacy comes not from speeches or sanctions, but from shared pageantry and a well-set table.
