King Charles ‘paved the way’ for £250 billion Trump tech deal, royal experts say

London — Royal observers say King Charles III helped set the stage for a reported £250 billion Trump technology deal as part of President Donald Trump’s second state visit, highlighted by a Windsor State Banquet on Sept. 17. The dinner, staged to mark the visit, featured the kind of ritual and attention to detail analysts say aimed to underline the strength of United States–Britain ties. Trump, addressing attendees later in the evening, called the occasion “truly one of the highest honours of my life.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the potential package would be “flowing both ways across the Atlantic,” noting that U.S. companies have pledged about £150 billion of investment in the United Kingdom and that the plan is expected to create roughly 7,600 jobs. The figures, presented in tandem with the state visit, reflect a broader push to deepen economic links between the two allies as the two economies navigate post-Brexit realities.

Richard Eden, the Daily Mail’s diary editor, told Palace Confidential that visits like this “oil those wheels of trade,” underscoring how ceremonial diplomacy can translate into business opportunities. He said the Windsor event demonstrates a willingness to do deals and to use high-profile visits to signal a serious commercial agenda, a point echoed by other contributors to the program.

Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal editor, described the royal element of the visit as an “absolute triumph.” She noted that State Banquets are crafted to flatter and foster good relations, pointing to the details at Windsor—from carriage rides and Beating the Retreat to the display of military colours—that she said sent a deliberate message: Buckingham Palace values the U.S. relationship. English stressed the careful orchestration of the evening as part of a broader strategy to reassure partners of Britain’s commitment to strong transatlantic ties.

Observers highlighted the drinks service as a small but telling example of the level of detail. The cognac was selected from 1912, the year Trump’s mother was born, while the port was from 1945, a nod to his presidency. English acknowledged Trump’s teetotal preferences but argued the gesture would still resonate with him and with other attendees who value symbolic hospitality. “You could genuinely see how moved President Trump was by it,” she said.

The Palace Confidential panel’s discussion — which also touched on the public-facing elements of the visit, from the carriage procession to the military display — framed the Windsor banquet as a deliberate, high-profile signal of the United Kingdom’s openness to close commercial collaboration with the United States. The episode invites viewers to consider how such ceremonial showcases interact with concrete investment announcements, including the Chequers briefing that outlined the potential £250 billion tech framework. For readers seeking deeper analysis, Palace Confidential releases are available on the Daily Mail Royals YouTube channel, with additional context in the Palace Confidential newsletter.