US President Donald Trump received a lavish welcome at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, with a royal carriage procession, a dazzling air display by the Red Arrows, and the largest guard of honour ever assembled for a state visit. The visit, his second official trip to the United Kingdom, showcased the full splendour of British pageantry.
Donald Trump Receives A Royal Welcome
The day began in the private Walled Garden of Windsor, where Prince William and Princess Catherine greeted President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump after their arrival by Marine One. From there, the couple was escorted to King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as the Royal Standard flew over the castle to signal the historic occasion.
Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales welcome President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to Windsor Castle–the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. #StateVisit pic.twitter.com/y2OYd47CnF
— British Embassy Washington (@UKinUSA) September 17, 2025
A royal salute followed as the king, queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed the president and first lady. Trump and King Charles then travelled in the gilded Irish State Coach – traditionally reserved for the State Opening of Parliament and famously used at Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding – while the first lady, wearing a maroon wide-brimmed hat, rode with Queen Camilla in a second carriage.
Largest Guard of Honour in Memory
Inside the castle grounds, the ceremonial welcome reached unprecedented scale. Trump inspected the assembled troops as massed bagpipes played and a 41-gun salute echoed across Windsor. The display featured 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military, making it the largest guard of honour in living memory.
The day’s spectacle continued with a state banquet inside Windsor Castle. Although a planned flypast by F-35 jets from both the UK and US militaries was cancelled due to poor weather, the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows roared overhead, leaving trails of red, white, and blue smoke.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 A magnificent Ceremonial Welcome at Windsor Castle has marked the start of the US State Visit.
The King invited President Trump to inspect a Guard of Honour formed of three regiments of the Household Division: the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards,… pic.twitter.com/hb7JtqH5lk
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 17, 2025
Trump described the event with King Charles III as “one of the highest honours of my life,” and paid a quiet tribute at St George’s Chapel by placing a wreath at Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb.
Donald Trump Praises “Special Relationship”
During his remarks, Trump celebrated Britain’s influence on literature, history, and the arts, declaring that the word “special” barely captured the depth of US-UK ties. “Together we’ve done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history,” he said.
Known for his love of grandeur, the president also slipped in a pointed comment about his predecessor, saying the United States was “sick” a year ago under Democratic President Joe Biden.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
