Donald Trump is due to fly into the UK next week for his unprecedented second state visit, with his short trip taking place almost entirely outside of the capital.
Trump will be the first US president ever to have a second state visit to the UK, after he was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2019.
Sir Keir Starmer made the offer when the prime minister flew to Washington soon after the president was inaugurated in January.
Eager to keep Trump happy and avoid being subjected to a trade war, Starmer gave the president a handwritten letter from King Charles inviting him to the UK.
This time round, the president will be hosted by the Royal Family at Windsor Castle, and he will only be in the UK for around 48 hours.
Keir Starmer gave Donald Trump a letter from King Charles in February. (PA)
Trump, who is a known fan of the Royal Family, will be the first world leader in modern history to be hosted by two British monarchs.
But state visits are often a time for a country to show the very best it has to offer to its guests, and with the government eager to attract investment instead of tariffs, it is unlikely any expense will be spared.
When is Donald Trump’s state visit?
The president will arrive on the evening of Tuesday, 16 September, and he will depart on the evening of Thursday, 18 September.
What is the schedule?
Although some finer details are still to be confirmed, we know roughly what the president will be doing and where he will be doing it.
He will be greeted by the US ambassador to the UK and Viscount Hood, lord-in-waiting and then taken to Windsor Castle, where he and first lady Melania will stay.
The Trumps will remain in the castle’s private estate on Wednesday, 17 September, and stay at the royal residence overnight.
The King was hosted by the Queen during his last state visit. (PA)
At some point, the Trumps will also lay a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.
On the Wednesday, the Trumps are to be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales before being formally welcomed by the King and Queen.
They will have a carriage procession through the Windsor estate, with numerous displays carried out by members of the UK’s armed forces, including a flypast by the Red Arrows.
They will also be taken to see a special display of the Royal Collection relating to the UK’s relationship with the USA.
The traditional grand state banquet is set to take place at Windsor Castle in the evening, with both Trump and Charles set to give speeches.
On Thursday, 18 September, the Trumps will travel to Chequers, the prime minister’s estate, and will be greeted by Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria.
Trump will stop off for a personal view of the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at Chequers, before having political and business meetings, before he departs later that evening.
Is Melania coming?
Yes, the first lady will accompany Trump for most of the visit, and she will tour Frogmore Gardens to inspect the work of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme as they learn about nature to achieve their Go Wild badge. Kate has been joint president of the Scout Association since 2020.
Trump will also be bringing numerous high-profile Americans with him on the trip.
Charles and Camilla pictured with Donald Trump and his wife Melania during the US president’s last state visit. (PA)
Sky News has reported the chief executive of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, will accompany him, as well as Sam Altman, the boss of OpenAI.
They also said Apple chief executive Tim Cook was considering coming to the banquet on Wednesday evening.
When are the protests?
A group called the Stop Trump Coalition are planning protests in both Windsor and London during the president’s trip.
Their biggest protest will be held in London’s Parliament Square on the afternoon of 17 September.
The group is supported by numerous political organisations in the UK, including Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Black Lives Matter and the National Education Union.
How much will it cost the taxpayer?
It’s unlikely we’ll ever get a true cost of the state visit, but it is going to cost a lot.
During his last state visit the Met Police said it cost them £3.5m, with more than 6,300 officers deployed.
The extensive security operation will also involve the UK and US secret services and likely some of both of the nations’ military forces.
This time round, the president will also be spending significant time at Windsor, which is under the jurisdiction of Thames Valley Police and will likely add to costs.
The security operation will also have some economic costs, as numerous roads will be closed for the president as he moves around.
Police at protests during Trump’s last state visit in 2019. (PA)
This is all before we consider the pomp that will be rolled out, Red Arrow flight displays and military parades aren’t cheap.
Keeping him and his party fed will also be expensive.
It was reported that the banquet hosted for French president Emmanuel Macron in July cost £300,000 to feed its roughly 160 guests.
This somewhat put the King to shame as the meal he was served on a state trip to Paris caused a minor scandal due to its cost.
French media reported that the lavish lobster dinner in 2023 cost the French government €475,000 (£400,000), with just under a tenth of the bill going solely on wine.
The costs of pleasing Trump may end up costing even more.
He is known to be a huge fan of the Royal Family as well as a bit of pomp, so for the current government that is eager to keep the president happy, there may not be a cost they’d be unwilling to pay.
