Trump UK visit: What is the president doing on his three-day trip to Britain?
Official itinerary involves range of ceremonial events with the royal family
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Your support makes all the difference.Gun salutes, troop inspections and tea with Prince Charles are all scheduled for Donald Trump’s controversial three-day state visit to the UK.
The US president arrives in London on Monday morning having spent the past week freely offering his opinions on Meghan Markle, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.
His official itinerary is bound to offer many more opportunities for controversy.
Monday 3 June
Mr and Mrs Trump are due to arrive at Stansted Airport in Essex at 7am.
On arrival at Buckingham Palace, Mr and Mrs Trump will receive a “ceremonial welcome” from the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in the garden at 10am.
The US president will then inspect the Guard of Honour, formed of Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards.
Meanwhile royal gun salutes will be fired in Green Park and at the Tower of London.
According to the royal family’s website, the basic salute is normally 21 rounds but extra rounds are fired if it involves a royal palace or park or a location in the City of London. This appears to mean that a total of 41 will be fired from Green Park and 62 from the Tower of London, which will take around ten minutes.
After all that excitement, the president and first lady will enjoy a private lunch hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace before visiting the Picture Gallery to view “items of historical significance to the United States” at 1.30pm.
At 2.10pm the Duke of York will next escort Mr Trump for a short tour of Westminster Abbey, during which the president will lay a wreath at the grave of The Unknown Warrior.
Mr Trump will then join Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House at 3.30pm before returning to Buckingham Palace for a state banquet given by the Queen.
At around 7.20pm both the Queen and Mr Trump will make speeches at the start of the feast, which is being boycotted by the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. A formal group photograph will be taken.
Tuesday 4 June
Thousands of protesters are expected to join a rally in Trafalgar Square to voice their opposition to Mr Trump, while the orange “baby blimp” version of the president flies over London.
Meanwhile the real Mr Trump will co-host a business breakfast meeting with Theresa May, the prime minister, at St James’ Palace at 9am. It will be attended by “senior UK and UK business leaders”, as well as The Duke of York.
The president will then visit No 10 to hold talks with Ms May. Following a joint lunch they will hold a press conference in the afternoon.
At 7pm Mr Trump and the first lady will host a return dinner at the home of the US ambassador, in Regents Park. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will attend on behalf of the Queen.
Wednesday 5 June
Mr and Mrs Trump will travel to Southsea Common in Portsmouth for the national commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
The Queen and Prince Charles will attend, along with more than 300 D-Day veterans and heads of state and government representatives from the countries involved in Operation Neptune.
The event, broadcast live on the BBC, will “tell the story of D-Day through musical performance, testimonial readings and military displays”. There will also be a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.
After that, the Queen will formally bid farewell to the president and the first lady in Portsmouth.
Mr and Mrs Trump are due to depart the UK privately later in the day. It is not yet known whether this will allow time for the president to meet the “very good guys” Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson.
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