Royal banquet caps off unprecedented 2nd U.K. state visit for Trump

Anti- ruff protesters process in jack london

Trump greeted by members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle

Trump rides with King Charles in carriage procession

Trump, Epstein images projected in ‘public stunt’ on Windsor Castle

Will Trump follow royal etiquette?

Trump, Starmer discuss ending Ukraine war during White House visit

Hi, I’m Kevin Maimann, a writer based in Edmonton.

The upcoming state banquet will be the first time Trump speaks to the press today, in what has been a highly organized and regimented visit that has otherwise kept the U.S. President largely hidden from public view.

Some watchers have criticized the private procession, which saw Trump ride around the grounds of the walled-off Windsor Castle in the back of a golden carriage with King Charles as people protested outside. Certain sections of the grounds were sectioned off with security fences in anticipation of his visit.

And we're back!

We’re going to pause our live coverage for now, and we will resume this afternoon when King Charles and President Donald Trump will sit down for a state dinner.

In Windsor, we met Joseph Afrane, who lives in the U.K., and who said he came down here at 5 a.m. To soak in the atmosphere and that he was “so happy” to hear about Trump’s second state visit.

“President Trump is a fan of the Royal Family and I'm a super fan as well,” he said. “And I'm a patriot as well.“

In Windsor, earlier this afternoon, Trump and his wife, Melania, visited St. George's Chapel. After arriving in an armoured vehicle nicknamed "the Beast," Trump briefly pumped his fist at reporters before entering.

Journalists were then led into the 14th-century gothic chapel, where hushed voices could be heard.

White House officials said the president was laying a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth.

U.S. Government officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, sat in the nave.

Trump was greeted by two church officials in red robes. A choir of 16 children, also in red robes, sang a hymn with the words "Gloria in Excelsis," accompanied by the chapel organ.

Trump later spent several minutes chatting with the choir. When he posed for a picture with them, he could be heard saying, “See those people over there? That’s the media.”

A crowd of a few hundred people lined up on the sidewalks in front of Windsor Castle waiting for the flypast of the Red Arrows. The aerial acrobatic team was supposed to be joined by four F-35 jets, but cloudy weather left the latter grounded.

Most of those gathered were residents and tourists, but there were some in the crowd who came to express their support for Trump — and others to protest his visit.

Tim Miles, 63, had a handful of flags poking out of his backpack, including a Canadian flag. He said he wanted to remind people that Trump has threatened other countries, including by saying he wants Canada to become the 51st state.

“He shouldn't be around here at all. You can’t trust him,” Miles said.

“He can screw up his own country if he wants to, I suppose, but he shouldn’t be interfering in anybody else's."

Rhys Leach, 19, is from Essex, about 70 kilometres northeast of London. He came to the protest carrying a Palestinian flag.

Leach said he wanted to protest the fact that U.K. Leaders are showing support for "someone who's just so terrible. [It]is a fright."

Judith Taylor travelled to London from her home in Portsmouth, a city on England's south coast, to join in the protest.

"I've just been watching what he's doing," Taylor said, referring to the U.S. President. "I can't bear to watch any longer. I just wanted to come out and say something."

She said the fact that the U.K. Is hosting Trump with a state visit is "just beyond my comprehension."

Michela Demes, a 28-year-old American student living in the U.K., said she wanted to show her support for immigrants.

"I'm the child of immigrants, and even with the recent anti-immigrant protests, it seems that people don't realize how much immigrants contribute to their community," Demes said.

"The average immigrant is not looking to take but add and prove that they deserve to be here. So it seems [Trump is] convincing people otherwise. And immigrants shape the world."

We're back to bring you a bit of colour from the streets of London, which have roared to life with protests against the U.S. President's state visit.

Thousands of Britons filled city streets, carrying signs denouncing Trump's immigration policies, using words like "fascist" and "racist."

The "Trump Not Welcome" protests are being held in London, about 40 kilometres east of Windsor, where the U.K. Government has been careful to keep state-visit activities far from potential crowds.

People also waved Palestinian flags, calling out the Trump administration's support for Israel in its war on Gaza.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in August that his government would recognize Palestinian statehood at next week's United Nations General Assembly, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and the possibility of a two-state solution.

They also held up a new Trump baby blimp, similar to one carried at protests during the president's last U.K. State visit in 2019, though this one's skin tone looks a tad darker and more orange.

---

---