Queen Elizabeth II will host Donald Trump on a state visit to the UK on 3-5 June, risking a repeat of the nationwide public protests which greeted the US president during his trip last year.
A state visit is the highest honor afforded to visiting dignitaries and comes at a critical time for Prime Minister Theresa May’s government as it tries to salvage the so-called special relationship and pursue a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Trump, who will be a guest of the Queen, is likely to receive a banquet at Buckingham Palace and a ride in a gilt carriage escorted by mounted soldiers.
“The State Visit is an opportunity to strengthen our already close relationship in areas such as trade, investment, security and defence, and to discuss how we can build on these ties in the years ahead,” May said in a statement. “We must continue to stand together to uphold our shared values and way of life.”
Trump and May will hold talks in London and take part in an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, which saw massive allied landings in mainland Europe in one of the turning points of World War II. The two leaders will travel to Portsmouth for the commemoration, which will feature a fly-past and a gathering of Royal Navy warships.