Trump departs Windsor for Chequers as UK hosts high-stakes talks with Starmer

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump concluded the Windsor Castle portion of their state visit on Thursday morning, with a royal farewell that underscored the ceremonial heft of the trip as it shifts toward business-focused talks at Chequers. King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted an overnight stay at the Berkshire residence, where Trump met the monarch in photographs and remarks that highlighted the long-standing ties between the two nations. The royal detachment of The King’s Guard gave a final display of pomp in the castle quadrangle before the Trumps departed for Buckinghamshire for conversations with Prime Minister Keir Starmer focused on investment, trade and technology cooperation.

At Windsor, Trump told the king he considered him a great gentleman and a great king, as royal hospitality and charm offensives have framed the early days of this second state visit in short order. Melania Trump remained at Windsor for a briefing with the Queen in one of the more intimate moments of the itinerary, while her husband moved on to Chequers with a schedule aimed at signaling a robust economic agenda for the transatlantic relationship. The First Lady’s later engagement includes a planned visit with the Scouts’ Squirrels program in Frogmore Gardens as part of the broader royal engagement calendar.

At Chequers, the setting shifts from ceremonial to substantive talks as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to capitalize on the Trump visit to win support for a flow of American capital into the UK and to advance a technology prosperity deal intended to bolster Britain’s AI and digital capabilities. The government described the visit as an opportunity to attract major U.S. investors and to showcase a shared economic agenda, including conversations with executives from companies such as Blackstone, Palantir, Microsoft, GSK and Rolls-Royce. A bespoke ministerial red box is expected to accompany Mr. Trump back to the White House, alongside access to Churchill archives and other diplomatic tokens, as part of a broader display of transatlantic cooperation. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also slated for face-to-face talks during the Chequers gathering.

In parallel, Whitehall officials touted a potential surge of U.S. investment into the UK, with some estimates suggesting around £150 billion could flow from large American firms. A Downing Street business reception planned for later in the day aims to highlight transatlantic economic cooperation with attendees including BlackRock, Barclays and Blackstone. The moment is framed as a critical precursor to practical deals, including a technology prosperity pact designed to expand Britain’s AI capabilities and to deepen collaboration with U.S. tech firms. While the Trump administration has teased broad economic arrangements, the discussions at Chequers will also probe how to balance security, industrial strategy, and regulatory alignment across both sides of the Atlantic.

Despite the upbeat tone around investment and technology ties, questions persisted about concrete policy gains. Officials acknowledged the sensitivity around fiscal and regulatory timetables, including efforts to address digital services taxes that disproportionately affect U.S. tech firms and the long-running dispute over steel tariffs. A Treasury minister, asked about any speedier path to dropping steel levies, said Britain would prioritize national interests and noted the 50 percent tariff framework that had shaped Brexit-era trade negotiations, insisting the country remained vigilant in defending its industrial base. The briefing underscored the complexity of delivering quick wins on tariffs while signaling openness to discussions that could, if agreed, reduce the current 25 percent levy on British steel imports to the United States.

The public-facing portion of the state visit has included ceremonial welcomes, a wreath-laying at Westminster Abbey and a royal banquet that underscored the symbolic bond between the United Kingdom and the United States. Trump praised the alliance in remarks to attendees that included notable figures such as Rupert Murdoch, while King Charles spoke of an enduring kinship between the two nations and the shared responsibility to protect natural treasures and global stability. The king’s address, delivered from a platform overlooking the castle’s historic grounds, emphasized a forward-looking partnership that seeks common ground on climate stewardship and international security at a time of global volatility.

Security was a defining thread throughout the day, with thousands of protesters marching in central London as planners sought to balance public expression with the demands of a high-security visit. In Windsor, police said several people were arrested in connection with a projection of material related to Epstein onto the castle—an incident the force said is being treated as a malicious communications case. Four men, aged 60, 36, 37 and 50, were released on conditional bail as investigations continue. Campaign leaders and campaigners argued the protests reflected continuing concerns about Mr. Trump’s policies and personal associations, even as the state visit pressed ahead with its diplomatic and economic agenda.

Beyond the immediate UK-US bilateral focus, Scottish officials weighed in on the broader political context surrounding the visit. Justice Secretary Angela Constance defended the attendance of Scotland’s leadership at the state banquet, noting anticipated exchanges on international relations. The visit comes amid heightened scrutiny of the U.S. administration’s posture on the Middle East and ongoing debates about Israel and Gaza, with some commentators noting that Prime Minister Starmer has sought to avoid overt policy disagreements during the visit while still pursuing an ambitious economic agenda.

As the day moves toward a close, the Chequers talks are positioned as a potential hinge point for the UK’s economic strategy with the United States. Officials describe the discussions as a testing ground for a collaborative framework that could unlock substantial investment in UK industry and accelerate Britain’s AI and digital innovation capabilities. The public expectations for a tangible deal are tempered by the realization that negotiations will require careful alignment of regulatory regimes, taxation policy, and strategic interests across both nations.

The White House and Downing Street have underscored the long-running value of the “special relationship,” while observers note that the political and legal complexities surrounding both countries’ policies—ranging from antitrust concerns to national security—will shape what, if any, concrete outcomes emerge from the talks at Chequers. The day’s events illustrate not only a ceremonial reaffirmation of ties but a practical bid to translate diplomatic goodwill into measurable economic opportunities for the UK and the United States alike.