By Favour Olisah, JKNewsMedia Reporter
ROYAL PAGEANTRY at Windsor Castle gave way to political discussions on Thursday as Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted United States President Donald Trump at his country residence of Chequers.
The visit marked the second state trip of the US leader to Britain and was described by Trump as “the highest honour.”
Starmer used the occasion to announce £150billion of investment commitments from American companies including Microsoft and Blackstone.
He said the inflow would deliver on his pledge to prioritise jobs and growth for working people.
“Jobs, growth and opportunity is what I promised for working people, and it’s exactly what this state visit is delivering,” the prime minister declared.
Talks between the two leaders centred on trade, Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. Starmer has sought to position himself as a bridge between Trump and European allies, pushing for firmer commitments to Kyiv.
Both governments highlighted that discussions at Chequers followed the signing of an “economic prosperity deal” in May at the White House.
Trump’s stance on trade remained guarded, particularly on Britain’s request for the removal of 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminium.
Asked about the issue before his departure for the UK, the president said: “They’d like to see if they could get a little bit better deal. So, we’ll talk to them.”
The Chequers meeting took place against a backdrop of political strain for Starmer.
His dismissal of Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, has drawn controversy, following questions over the diplomat’s past connections to the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The issue has also resurfaced around Trump in recent weeks with new revelations about his association with Epstein in the 1990s, and it is expected to feature in media engagements during the visit.
Despite those pressures, the president was treated to one of the most elaborate ceremonial welcomes in decades. King Charles III hosted Trump at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where gun salutes, mounted troops and a guard of honour made up of 1,300 military personnel, including 120 horses, lined the grounds.
Officials described the event as the largest for a state visit in living memory.
The spectacle included the inspection of troops by Trump alongside the monarch, with the two men exchanging jokes during the review.
The formal day ended with a white-tie state banquet attended by 160 guests, among them senior members of the royal family, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook, media mogul Rupert Murdoch and golfer Nick Faldo.
The menu featured watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread, chicken wrapped in courgettes and a vanilla ice cream bombe with raspberry sorbet.
Music included Puccini’s Nessun Dorma and a James Bond medley, selections highlighted as among the president’s favourites.
In his banquet address, Trump described the state visit as “truly one of the highest honours of my life,” likening the relationship between Britain and America to “two notes in one chord … each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together.”
King Charles commended Trump’s “personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world’s most intractable conflicts” while stressing the need for leaders to meet environmental obligations for “our children, grandchildren, and those who come after them.”
First Lady Melania Trump remained in Windsor on Thursday morning, where she was scheduled to tour Queen Mary’s Doll’s House with Queen Camilla.
Security around the visit has remained tight, with all engagements kept away from the public.
Protests have nevertheless accompanied the state visit, with an estimated 5,000 people marching through central London on Wednesday carrying Palestinian flags and banners declaring “Migrants welcome, Trump not welcome.”
