Trump’s shorter state visit revealed with special flypast and military spectacle

US President Donald Trump’s stay with the King and Queen will have no public-facing element on the first day of his state visit, when he will remain within the private Windsor estate, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

The palace has released the itinerary for the controversial American politician’s two-day trip which begins in full next Wednesday.

Mr Trump’s second state visit, an unprecedented gesture for an American leader, has been shortened slightly due to his busy diary, it emerged.

It was originally due to span September 17 to September 19, but now Mr Trump, who is arriving on September 16, will leave on September 18 following a day at Chequers with the Prime Minister.

It is understood that while the president and First Lady are said to be looking forward to the state visit enormously, September is an extremely busy month for the couple and the state visit has been slightly amended to accommodate other pressures on their programme.

In an unusual move, Mr Trump will be feted with a flypast by the Red Arrows and UK and US F-35 military jets on the east lawn at Windsor Castle, and a special Beating Retreat military spectacle.

The series of special additions – with the Red Arrow and Beating Retreat having never been deployed before at an incoming state visit – will be staged in the US president’s honour on September 17 – alongside the traditional grand state banquet and ceremonial welcome.

But there will be no public element during Mr Trump’s first day with the King and Queen at Windsor Castle – with his carriage ride confined to Home Park, with security and potential hostility from demonstrators likely to have been a major concern.

Mr Trump, whose visit is set to spark mass protests, and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, will remain in the castle’s private estate on Wednesday and stay at the royal residence overnight.

They will not, in contrast to French president Emmanuel Macron, enjoy a carriage ride through the town nor take a trip into London to see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will play a key part in the high-profile visit, designed to indulge Mr Trump’s well-known love of the British royal family.

William and Kate have been tasked with the initial royal meeting of Mr and Mrs Trump on the morning of September 17 in the grounds of the Windsor estate, when they will accompany them to meet the King and Queen for an open-air greeting.

The Trumps, the King, Camilla, William and Kate will then take part in a carriage procession through the estate to the castle.

Kate will also carry out a joint engagement with the First Lady the next day when they head to Frogmore Gardens to meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme as they learn about nature to achieve their Go Wild badge.

Mr Trump appeared taken with heir to the throne William after they met in Paris in December, declaring that the prince was “very handsome” and adding “some people look better in person”.

It is likely, but not confirmed, that both the prince, along with the princess, who announced at the start of the year that she was in remission from cancer, will attend the opulent state banquet for Mr Trump on Wednesday evening in the castle’s St George’s Hall.

The King and Mr Trump will both give speeches at the start of the white-tie affair.

Pomp and pageantry will be deployed to entertain Mr Trump, with the carriage ride earlier in the day joined by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment which will provide a Sovereign’s Escort.

The route will be lined by members of the armed forces, with three military bands from the Royal Marines, the Army and the RAF.

A ceremonial welcome with a guard of honour will be staged in the quadrangle of the castle as is the custom, followed by lunch with the royal family, and a visit to see a Royal Collection exhibition within the castle.

The president and his wife will visit St George’s Chapel privately on Wednesday afternoon to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, and then be given a short tour of the chapel and hear a musical performance from choristers of St George’s Chapel Choir.

The Beating Retreat will see the Trump, King and Queen and Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Starmer join US and British military families to watch the colourful pageant of military music and precision drill.

Beating Retreat has its origins in the early years of organised warfare when the beating of drums and the parading of Post Guards heralded the closing of camp gates and the lowering of flags at the end of the day.

On Thursday September 18, the President and First Lady will formally bid farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle in the morning.

Mr Trump will head to Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, where he will be met again by Sir Keir and Lady Starmer, and greeted with a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers.

The president and the Prime Minister will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at Chequers, before having a bilateral meeting, joining a business reception with the Chancellor, and then holding a press conference.

Meanwhile, the First Lady will carry out engagements with the Queen and Kate at Windsor.

She will first spend time with Camilla, touring Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library, before joining Kate in Frogmore Gardens

The First Lady will then travel to Chequers to join Mr Trump for the remainder of the final day’s programme before they depart later on Thursday.

During his last state visit at Buckingham Palace in 2019, Mr Trump visited the Abbey and also went for tea at Clarence House.

There will be no visit to Parliament. The House of Commons will be in recess for party conference session, although the House of Lords is still sitting.