Trump plans to invite King to US

Donald Trump plans to invite the King to the US after being thrilled by two days of pageantry in the UK, according to a senior White House official.

The US president left for Washington on Thursday evening, after spending time with the King at Windsor Castle and meeting the Prime Minister at Chequers.

“It was a really fantastic trip. The British know how to do this perfectly,” the official told The Telegraph. “They set the bar high for their trip to see us.”

Mr Trump was making his second state visit to the UK – unprecedented for an American president.

Details of the planned invitation emerged as Mr Trump flew home on Air Force One.

Before leaving, he thanked his hosts and praised the bond between the UK and US.

“We’re grateful beyond words for the spectacular honour of the state visit yesterday at Windsor Castle, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty, Queen Camilla,” Mr Trump said.

“These are two fantastic people. We will never forget it.”

‘Special relationship renewed’

On Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Trump signed deals committing US companies to invest £150bn in the UK, alongside other agreements on tech prosperity and cooperation on nuclear power schemes.

Sir Keir said: “We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era.”

The state visit put the Royal family front and centre on Wednesday, when Mr Trump was driven around Windsor Castle’s estate in the Irish State Coach, before inspecting an honour guard and watching a Red Arrows flypast.

In the evening, 160 guests, mostly drawn from the worlds of politics and business, assembled in St George’s Hall for a full state banquet.

In his speech, Mr Trump described his second state visit as “truly one of the highest honours of my life”.

Mr Trump could not hide his enthusiasm as he talked about the banquet on the way home.

“Everybody was great. Even the men looked beautiful,” he told reporters travelling with him on Air Force One.

“It’s hard not to look beautiful in that room. That was one of the coolest rooms. That room was built for a table, but the table happened to carry 200 people.”

Chris Ruddy, chief executive of conservative media outlet Newsmax, who was a guest at the banquet, said Mr Trump’s family connection to the UK – his mother being from Stornoway – meant that Britain had a special place in his heart.

“He sees it as one of the great worldwide brands,” he said.

“And a lot of it is that he sees Charles as a contemporary. And he likes him, and he sees him as a regular person.”

Next year is the 250th anniversary of US independence and it is understood that the Trump administration wants to give the UK a starring role in the celebrations.

The White House official said it was still early in planning for a royal visit.

Elizabeth II, the King’s late mother, visited the US during George W Bush’s term in office in 2007.

Officials will have to hope Mr Trump will not make a similar blunder to Mr Bush, who suggested the late Queen was over 200 years old in his welcome speech.

“The American people are proud to welcome Your Majesty back to the United States, a nation you’ve come to know very well,” he said at the time.

“After all, you’ve dined with 10 US presidents. You helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17 – in 1976,” he said to laughter from the crowd.

The late Queen cast a glance at Mr Bush, to which he quipped: “She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child.”

Days later, at a dinner party she hosted at the British embassy in Washington, she said with a smile: “Mr President, I wondered whether I should start this toast saying, ‘When I was here in 1776,’ but I don’t think I will.”

[Source: Daily Telegraph]