President Donald Trump has reportedly announced his plans to pay a second state visit to the United Kingdom. That visit would occur in September at Buckingham Palace. This visit is very special – historic even! This will be the first time that a U.S. president has been given a second state visit, an elaborate ceremony typically reserved for leaders during their first term in office. Trump publicly shared his enthusiasm for the visit and made much of his special relationship with King Charles and the British royal family.
Trump’s most recent state visit was the first of his presidency to the UK in June of 2019. He was given the traditional official welcome by Queen Elizabeth II in the Buckingham Palace Garden. On that trip, he had lunch with – and impressed – Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. This experience only served to deepen his ties to the royal family. His relationship with Prince William – depicted as a spoiled royal – is unusually close. The members met privately last December to talk about a wide range of subjects, including their deep admiration for the late Queen.
A Unique Honor
The invitation for a second state visit signifies the rarest of honors for Trump. It turns that dynamic on its head, as is usually the case with second-term presidents. In his announcement on the forthcoming visit, Trump emphasized the importance of this event, declaring,
“I was invited by the King and the country – great country. They’re going to do a second, as you know, a second fest. That’s what it is: a fest, and it’s beautiful, and it’s the first time it’s ever happened to one person.”
In doing so, he certainly recognized the importance of the special relationship between the United States and Britain. This visit is a powerful illustration of their deepening diplomatic friendship.
Respect for the Royal Family
Coincidentally, Trump has long made it no secret that he greatly admires King Charles III and the rest of the royal family. In his remarks, he stated,
“I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William, we have really just a great respect for the family. And I think they’re setting a date for September.”
This feeling gives a sense of the high priority He places on keeping close connections with British royalty. His conversations with Prince Charles on our previous visits have been kind, but informal.
Trump remembered his talk with Prince William from their meeting last December, remembering their conversation over family issues. He mentioned,
“I had a great talk with the prince. And I asked him about his wife and he said she’s doing well. And I asked him about his father and his father is fighting very hard, and he loves his father and he loves his wife, so it was sad. We had a great talk for half an hour, a little more than half an hour.”
Diplomatic Engagements
This summer’s state visit will be far from a ceremonial exchange of pleasantries. It will kickstart a new bilateral dialogue between Washington, DC, and Kampala. In communicating his excitement about the upcoming visit, Trump wrote,
“On behalf of our wonderful first lady Melania and myself, the answer is yes, and we look forward to being there and honoring the King and honoring your country.”
His statements signal that the U.S. is serious about re-engaging with statesmen around the world and working collectively to tackle our shared challenges.
