Trump has concluded his state visit to the UK and plans to invite King Charles to Washington in 2026.

President Trump and First Lady after landing in the UK for their historic second state visit.

Office of the First Lady / X

US President Donald Trump has returned to Washington after a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom, where he met with King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. A senior White House official confirmed to the BBC that Trump plans to invite King Charles and Queen Camilla to the United States next year, in celebration of America's 250th anniversary.

The official did not provide a date, but the royal invitation, first reported by The Telegraph, would mark the first state visit to the US by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2007 trip during the George W. Bush administration. The Independent reported that Trump may also extend an alternative invitation to the Prince and Princess of Wales.

A Historic Second Visit

Trump’s September 17–18 visit was his second official state visit to the United Kingdom, a rare honour underscoring what he described as the “unbreakable bond” between the two nations. The trip began with a spectacular military welcome at Windsor Castle, where more than 1,300 personnel took part in the largest guard of honour in UK state visit history. Trump and First Lady Melania joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for a carriage procession before attending an exhibition on Anglo-American relations and a state banquet in Windsor’s grand ballroom.

At the banquet, Charles praised the alliance’s role in “standing firm against tyranny” in Ukraine. A planned F-35 flypast was grounded by weather, though the Red Arrows performed a display.

On September 18, Trump travelled to Chequers for talks with Prime Minister Starmer. The leaders discussed NATO, trade, Ukraine, and the Gaza conflict. Trump described Vladimir Putin as “a disappointment” while pressing for stronger EU sanctions and reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood, clashing with Starmer but stressing a shared priority of freeing hostages. Trump also floated UK participation in addressing migrant crossings in the English Channel.

First Lady Melania Trump and the Princess of Wales meet on the grounds of Frogmore Cottage - September 18, 2025

Office of the First Lady / X

Diplomatic and Domestic Consequences

The visit produced modest diplomatic progress, including hints of a US/UK trade package if London drops its digital services tax and Trump’s softened stance on European sanctions. Starmer’s government curated the itinerary to emphasise common ground, while Charles framed the relationship as one rooted in shared democratic values.

But the trip was not without controversy. Protests in London drew tens of thousands under the banner of “Stop Trump,” with activists accusing him of climate denial and backing “war criminals.” Some projected images linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein on Windsor Castle’s walls, an act that rattled White House aides amid fresh scandals involving UK officials.

Before leaving, Trump reignited his feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, accusing him of blocking an invitation to the Windsor banquet.

As Trump looks ahead to a 2026 royal state visit, both sides appear eager to keep the “special relationship” at the forefront of global politics. However, it remains entwined with the controversies that have long defined the president’s diplomacy.

— Reported by Orbital News
Sources: The White House, Office of First Lady.