Trump and Melania Greeted by Prince William and Kate at Windsor; Lip-Reader Reports 'Lots of Changes'

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were welcomed at Windsor Castle on Wednesday with ceremonial honours and brief, cordial exchanges with the Prince and Princess of Wales, a lip-reader told the Daily Mail.

The Trumps arrived by Marine One shortly after noon and were met on the castle lawn by Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales. According to lip-reader Nicola Hickling, whose analysis was published by the Daily Mail, the president asked after the couple’s children and told Kate “you’re beautiful,” while William quipped that Trump had “missed our little chats.” Hickling reported that Trump responded, “We can talk now you’re here on a visit … there’s been lots of changes.” The palace did not independently confirm the exchange.

A 41-round gun salute was fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and a military band played the U.S. national anthem and other tunes as three carriages processed onto the grounds. The procession saw Trump ride with King Charles III, while Queen Camilla and Melania Trump occupied the second carriage and the Prince and Princess of Wales followed in a third. Officials and media at the scene described the greeting as cordial; a light, sporadic rain prompted the senior royals and the president to spend part of the arrival ceremony under a tent.

Witnesses said the president exchanged handshakes and light touches with members of the royal family during the short arrival ceremony, and that the couple briefly reviewed the guard of honour. The Trumps are scheduled to lay a private wreath at the Tomb of Queen Elizabeth II in St George’s Chapel and to tour the chapel later in the afternoon.

The state visit itinerary includes a formal state dinner at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening, where both King Charles and President Trump are due to speak. The president is expected to stay overnight at Windsor before meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday; the two leaders are scheduled to hold a joint press conference later in the day. Melania Trump’s programme at Windsor includes visits to Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the Royal Library and Frogmore Gardens, where she will join the Princess of Wales for a Scouts event.

Trump’s trip marks his second state visit to the United Kingdom and comes after several high-profile interactions between the president and the royal family. He and Charles have exchanged personal commendations in public fora in recent years, and Trump met Prince William briefly in Paris during events around the reopening of Notre-Dame. Insiders familiar with royal arrangements say the tone of this visit is shaped in part by King Charles’s more publicly approachable manner compared with his predecessor.

Palace aides and Downing Street officials said arrangements for the visit reflected long-standing ceremonial practice, though the scale of some elements — including the multi‑gun salute — was noted by commentators as unusually large for a visiting head of state. Buckingham Palace has not released additional comment beyond the official arrival programme and details issued in advance of the visit.

The Windsor engagements are the opening sequence of a multi-day visit that will also include meetings in London and public appearances designed to emphasize bilateral ties. British and U.S. officials said the agenda will cover trade, security and diplomatic cooperation, with further details to be announced after the leaders’ talks.