The Princess of Wales has welcomed Donald and Melania Trump to Windsor Castle alongside her husband Prince William at the start of the American president’s historic state visit.
Kate and Prince William, both 43, greeted the Trumps in the Walled Garden on the Windsor estate after they arrived by helicopter, before they walked to Victoria House to meet King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The princess was resplendent in a red Emilia Wickstead dress that she paired with a hat by Jane Taylor.
She honoured the memory of Princess Diana by wearing her feather pendant, which contains 18 Round Cut diamonds with small emeralds that surround the Prince of Wales feathers symbol.
She was seen chatting with the First Lady and Mr Trump, who met William for a 40-minute meeting in Paris last December, as they walked together.
Meanwhile, Camilla – who was forced to sit the Duchess of Kent’s funeral out due to ill health – pickee a vibrant sapphire blue dress, a matching coat by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy and a sapphire and diamond brooch for the occasion.
This afternoon’s high-profile engagement comes less than a day after William and Kate, who are juggling a busy schedule, paid their respects to the Duchess of Kent at her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
As Mr Trump, 79, shakes hands with the King, a 41-round gun will be fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle.
Kate Middleton, 43, is resplendent in a red Emilia Wickstead dress that she paired with a hat by Jane Taylor for today’s high-profile engagement that marks the start of Donald and Melania Trump’s state visit to the UK
The Princess of Wales (far left) has welcomed Donald and Melania Trump to Windsor Castle alongside her husband Prince William at the start of the American president’s historic state visit
Earlier this week, a Trump source said ‘The President and First Lady are thrilled that the Princess of Wales will play such a prominent role in their visit’. The Princess is seen chatting with Mr Trump shortly after he arrived in Windsor
The Trumps will then join the Charles, Camilla, Kate, and William for a carriage procession through the Berkshire estate, while making their way towards the castle.
The proccessional route, which will be closed to the public, was lined by over 150 members of the armed forces, including the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force.
The carriages are scheduled to pass through the castle’s George IV Gate at 12.15pm, ready for the full ceremonial welcome in the quadrangle with a Guard of Honour.
The State Colours of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards will greet the party – the first time that three State Colours, rather than just one, will be on parade at such an occasion.
The UK and US national anthems will be performed during the welcome.
After this, the royals will join the Trumps in the State Dining Room and the visitors will be taken to see a special display of Royal Collection items that relate to the US, in the Green Drawing Room.
In a private moment, Mr and Mrs Trump will visit the late Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and lay a wreath.
The Trumps are due to enjoy a glittering State Banquet with speeches on Thursday evening.
Earlier this week, a Trump source said, ‘The President and First Lady are thrilled that the Princess of Wales will play such a prominent role in their visit.
Kate paid tribute to her mother-in-law, Princess Diana by wearing her feather pendant, which contains 18 Round Cut diamonds with small emeralds that surround the Prince of Wales feathers symbol
The Prince and Princess of Wales ahead of the arrival of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle in Windsor, Berkshire
She was seen chatting with the First Lady and Mr Trump, who met William for a 40-minute meeting in Paris last December, as they walked together
The Princess of Wales in conversation with Melania Trump, wearing all black, while Queen Camilla opted for a sapphire blue dress by Fiona Clare
‘The inclusion of Princess Kate in so many events during the state visit is an honour.
‘The Trumps very much hoped she would be part of their visit but nothing was confirmed until this week because of the princess’s health situation.’
Kate is currently in remission from an undisclosed form of cancer as she continues her steady return to public life after receiving treatment.
Tomorrow’s schedule will begin at Chequers, where a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers will greet Mr Trump before his meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria.
He will have a personal viewing of the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at the grace-and-favour retreat in Buckinghamshire, before a bilateral meeting with the PM and a business reception hosted by the Chancellor.
Melania will remain at Windsor, where she will look at Queen Mary’s Dolls House and the Royal Library before joining the Princess of Wales for the Scouts meeting.
She will later travel to Chequers, where she and her husband will be seen off Sir Keir and Lady Victoria, alongside The Lord Chamberlain acting on behalf of the King.
The visit is an unprecedented gesture towards the US leader, the first convicted felon to become American president, and goes against convention that would normally see second-term presidents have tea or lunch with the monarch.
Both George W Bush and Barack Obama dined with the Queen on their return trips to the UK after a single state visit. Mr Trump’s successor and second-term predecessor, Joe Biden, did not undertake a state visit to the UK at all.
The Trumps will stay overnight at Windsor, a privilege first afforded to Ronald Reagan in 1982.
Britain’s Queen Camilla and US first lady Melania Trump sit in a carriage during a procession through Windsor Castle
The First Lady of the US shakes hands with King Charles as Melania joins her husband Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit to the UK
King Charles III pictured before the Trumps arrive at Windsor for a historic state visit to the UK
Queen Camilla ahead of the arrival of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle
The Queen flashes as smile as she is driven up to Windsor Castle after ill health forced her to miss the Duchess of Kent’s funeral yesterday
In an official statement about the state visit, the Palace said: ‘The president of the United States of America, President Donald J Trump, accompanied by the first lady, Mrs Melania Trump, will pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom as the guests of Their Majesties The King and Queen, from Wednesday 17th September to Thursday 18th September 2025. The president and first lady will stay at Windsor Castle.’
It comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales put on a sombre display as they attended the Duchess of Kent’s funeral yesterday.
William and Kate remembered ‘Mrs Kent’ – as she liked to be called – who became the oldest living member of the Royal Family when Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022.
The Duchess’s husband the Duke of Kent was also pictured arriving along with his children. She died aged 92 while surrounded by family at Kensington Palace earlier this month.
Following the announcement, the heir and his wife made a loving tribute, saying that she would be ‘much missed’.
The future king and queen described how she had ‘worked tirelessly’ in her life to help others. In a statement signed ‘W & C’, the couple said: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
‘The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family’.
Along with William and Kate, Charles yesterday led senior members of his family, including Prince William, Kate, and his brother Prince Andrew, as they paid their respects to Duchess of Kent after her death aged 92.
The royals gathered en masse for the Catholic funeral on Tuesday afternoon – with the Duchess’s frail widower, the Duke of Kent, entering Westminster Cathedral holding a walking stick, surrounded by his family including his daughter Lady Helen Taylor.
But Buckingham Palace announced just two hours before the private family service began that Queen Camilla had pulled out as she recovers from acute sinusitis.
Among the others attending were Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew, who no longer carries out official duties for the monarchy after stepping down six years ago amid the furore over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, exited his car first and joined Sarah as they walked in together.
The Duke of Kent’s brother, Prince Michael of Kent, also arrived, appearing frail and walking slowly using a stick as he made his way into the church for the funeral. He was accompanied by his wife Princess Michael of Kent, who was also using a stick.
With them was their daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor, and they led a large contingent of royals all dressed in black in mourning, including Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Sophie Windsor, with some of the party arriving together by bus.
Lady Helen Windsor, wearing a hat with tulle detail, joined her father, the Duke of Kent, followed by her brothers the Earl of St Andrews and Lord Nicholas Windsor.
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