London [UK], September 18: US President Donald Trump has begun a lavish two-day state visit to Britain. He was greeted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle with simultaneous gun salutes in Windsor and London.
The ceremony has featured the largest guard of honor ever at a state visit, a carriage procession, and a joint flypast of UK and US F-35 fighter jets, underscoring close defense ties.
Trump, calling it a "great honour," will attend a royal banquet and meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers on Thursday, while large protests are expected nationwide.
At Windsor Castle, the royal residence west of London, US President Donald Trump was greeted by royalty, military honor guards, and mounted troops in red and gold uniforms.
The president and first lady flew aboard Marine One from Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador in London, where the couple had stayed the previous night.
As Marine One touched down in Windsor, Trump was first greeted warmly by Prince William, heir to the throne, and his wife, Catherine. The couple walked the Trumps a short distance to meet King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
As Trump shook hands with the king, 41 guns were simultaneously fired from six World War I-era cannons on the castle's east lawn. A similar display occurred at the Tower of London in the heart of the capital.
Then, the Trumps and the royals embarked on a carriage procession through the Windsor estate toward the nearly 1,000-year-old castle, as military bands played the US and British national anthems.
Upon arriving at the castle quadrangle, Trump and Charles inspected an honor guard of soldiers wearing red tunics and bearskin hats.
Some 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military participated in the ceremony, which, according to UK officials, was the largest military ceremonial welcome for a state visit to Britain in living memory.
The Trumps will spend the night as guests of the king and queen at their 1,000-year-old castle.
What's on the agenda for Trump in the UK?
President Donald Trump arrived in the UK on Tuesday evening for a two-day state visit that blends elaborate ceremony with meetings at the highest level.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to greet Trump and the first lady at Windsor Castle on Wednesday with simultaneous gun salutes at Windsor and the Tower of London. The UK Ministry of Defence says the largest guard of honour ever for a state visit - about 1,300 military personnel and 120 horses - will present arms.
Trump will ride with the king in a carriage procession escorted by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. UK and US musicians will stage a special Beating Retreat military ceremony, capped by a joint flypast featuring UK and US F-35 fighter jets and the Red Arrows. The RAF is adding 12 new F-35A aircraft, the jet flown by the US Air Force in the display.
The evening state banquet will feature music by the Duchess of Edinburgh's String Orchestra, the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry, and pipers from the Scots Guards.
On Thursday, Trump travels to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's country residence, Chequers, where aviators from RAF Halton will line the route. He will watch an air display by the British Army's Red Devils Parachute Display Team and hear two RAF pipers perform.
Trump, who calls King Charles "a friend," says it is a "great honour" to be the first US president to receive two state visits and to be hosted at what he calls "the ultimate" Windsor Castle. Major protests are expected, and the visit includes no public-facing events.
Source: Times of Oman
