US President Donald Trump will make a second state visit to the UK from 17 to 19 September, according to an official announcement from Buckingham Palace on July 14. This is the first time a US President has been invited to pay a state visit twice to the UK, marking an unprecedented exception in bilateral relations between the two close allies.
According to the plan, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump will be welcomed by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Palace, which Buckingham Palace is undergoing restoration.
The upcoming visit will be full of symbolic and ceremonial colors, including honor guard shows, bird's nest parties and high-level diplomatic events. Mr. Trump was solemnly welcomed during his first state visit in 2019, under the reign of Queen Queen Queen Elizabeth II.
The second, rare invitation was personally handed over to Mr. Trump at the White House by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in February. The US president called it a great honor and was particularly pleased to be at Windsor Castle, which had welcomed a number of rare heads of state such as President Barack Obama and George W. Bush, but only at meetings or tea parties.
Observers say the upcoming visit reflects Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to maintain a close relationship with President Donald Trump, in the context that the US administration under Mr. Trump is considering imposing high tariffs on many trading partners.
Maintaining active diplomatic relations with Washington is seen as a flexible strategy to protect the UK's economic interests after the Brexit, as bilateral trade agreements are still in the process of negotiations.
Despite the controversy, state visits to the UK are still considered the highest diplomatic symbol for foreign heads, with full royal ceremonies, from horse parades to solemn national bird's nest.
For Mr. Trump, who once expressed his admiration for the British Royal Family, this is not only a diplomatic event, but also a special mark on the international stage in his second term.
