Britain rolls out ceremonial welcome for Donald Trump's rare second state visit

Britain mounted an elaborate ceremonial welcome on Wednesday for Donald Trump as the former US president undertook a rare second state visit, with the King and senior royals scheduled to greet him and a programme of pomp and pageantry planned across the day.

Officials said the visit would include a carriage ride with the monarch, a military flypast, a lavish state dinner at Windsor Castle and what British sources described as the largest military ceremonial welcome for any state visit in living memory. A substantial security operation was put in place to separate the president from demonstrators and to protect the planned events, many of which will occur behind closed gates.

Donald and Melania Trump arrived at Stansted Airport on Tuesday night and were met by Viscount Henry Hood, according to published reports. The Daily Mail is running a reader poll asking whether the royal family should be "rolling out the red carpet" for the president, inviting votes at midday with final results to be published the following day.

The state programme follows normal diplomatic practice for state visits while drawing attention for its scale and the choice to accord a second state visit to the same individual. British officials framed the arrangements as routine protocol for a head of state, but acknowledged the size and visibility of the ceremonies would make this visit among the most prominent in recent years.

Organisers said that many elements of the visit would be tightly controlled for security reasons. Metropolitan Police and other security services coordinated protective measures at airports, royal venues and other locations on the itinerary. Senior royals, including the King, were expected to participate in formal greetings and the evening state dinner, an event typically limited to invited guests and official delegations.

The visit also comes against a backdrop of ongoing scrutiny about Mr. Trump's past associations. Questions previously raised in public discourse about his relationship with financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to be referenced by critics and commentators, and were part of the wider conversation around whether the full ceremonial treatment was appropriate.

Public demonstrations were anticipated in parts of central London, where campaign groups and opponents planned gatherings aimed at expressing dissent. Authorities said they would facilitate lawful protest while maintaining security for the state events and for official participants.

State visits are traditionally used to underscore diplomatic ties and to provide a ceremonial framework for meetings between heads of state. British officials said the itinerary would include formal bilateral talks, cultural elements of state hospitality and opportunities for the United Kingdom and the United States to reaffirm aspects of the bilateral relationship.

The Daily Mail noted that the poll about the visit would be open at midday and that results from its previous online poll, held the day before, showed 68 percent of respondents saying the Conservative Party was "over" — a separate item the paper said attracted about 16,000 votes. The newspaper did not release methodological details for the reader poll on the Trump visit.

The schedule and participation of royal family members in state events are typically announced in advance by Buckingham Palace and other royal offices. Palace and government spokespeople issued statements describing the arrangements as consistent with diplomatic custom and with security planning to protect participants and the public.

As the visit unfolded, officials focused on ensuring the formal engagements proceeded on schedule while managing public order and the logistics of a high-profile international guest. Further details on the outcome of the visit, and the results of the newspaper's reader poll, were expected to be published in the days following the state events.