MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Trump and King Charles III exchange words of praise

The pomp and ceremony between the two heads of State preceded Thursday's meeting between Trump and Starmer

During his second state visit to the UK, US President Donald Trump was hosted by King Charles III for a day of ceremonies and a state banquet at Windsor Castle. The visit was marked by significant pomp and circumstance, including a large military honor guard, a carriage procession, and a dinner with 160 guests.

At the banquet, both leaders praised the “special relationship” between their nations. Trump described the visit as “one of the highest honors” of his life, while King Charles emphasized the shared history and values that have strengthened the US-UK bond.

Despite the grandeur, the visit was accompanied by protests in London and Windsor, with demonstrators voicing opposition to Trump's policies. There were also projections onto Windsor Castle walls referencing Trump's ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein.

On Thursday, the visit will shift from ceremonial to political, with Trump scheduled to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, where they are expected to discuss issues such as trade, technology, and geopolitical matters, including Ukraine and the Middle East.

Prince William and his wife Catherine met Trump and First Lady Melania Trump as their helicopter landed on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Later in the day, Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, who was laid to rest at St. George's Chapel.

Trump's trip comes days after Starmer fired his ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, over his past close ties with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump also said King Charles had raised a “remarkable son” in Prince William. “I think you're going to have unbelievable success in the future,” he said. “We're joined by history and fate, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny,” the president said, calling the bond “priceless” and “eternal,” the Republican leader further noted.

“Anchored by the deep friendship between our people, this relationship, which, with good reason, we and our predecessors have long called special, has made us safer and stronger through the generations,” the king said. “Our people have fought and died together for the values we hold dear. We have innovated, traded, and created together, fueling our economies and cultures through myriad forms of exchange. We have celebrated together, mourned together, and stood together in the best and worst of times.”

“Mr. President, as we appreciate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year, it is remarkable to think just how far we have come. I cannot help but wonder what our forebears from 1776 would think of this friendship today,” the monarch also pointed out.

“Mr. President, Mrs. Trump, the bond between our two nations is indeed a remarkable one. Forged in the fire of conflict, it has been fortified through our shared endeavors and burnished by the deep affection between our people,” the king said. “Tested time and again, it has borne the weight of our common purpose and raised our ambition for a better world. So in renewing our bond tonight, we do so with unshakeable trust in our friendship and in our shared commitment to independence and liberty.”