Forget bilateral meetings and photo ops at Downing Street: When it comes to navigating an uncommonly turbulent era in the Special Relationship, the U.K. government’s most powerful diplomatic tool may be sparkly and worn on somebody’s head.
We refer, of course, to the epic demonstration of “tiara diplomacy” — that is, wheeling out the royals in full Beribboned and Bejewelled mode — the world is being treated to as Britain welcomes Donald Trump for his second state visit to the island nation.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are front and centre in this mission, having greeted Donald and Melania Trump when they arrived in Windsor on Wednesday morning.
William and Kate, who wore a burgundy Emilia Wickstead coat dress, a Chanel bag and a brooch that belonged to Princess Diana, were waiting to greet the Trumps when their helicopter landed on the lawn at Windsor Castle. There was a round of warm handshakes, before they escorted the American couple to meet the King and Queen, who is back on duty after a bout of sinusitis.
There was a ceremonial exchange of gifts: Trump was given the flag that flew over Buckingham Palace on his second inauguration day, among other items, while Melania received a handbag by British designer Anya Hindmarch. In return, they gave King Charles a replica of President Eisenhower’s sword, while Queen Camilla received ruby and diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co.
Thanks to the typically wet British weather, the carriage procession that followed was done in covered vehicles — denying the public a chance to see Trump and the King (whom he yesterday described as “my friend”) in conversation together.
Technically, it was the King who signed the Trumps’ invitation to England, although, as with all state visits, it’s at the behest of the government, not the royals’ whim. It was hand-delivered by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he met with the U.S. president in Washington earlier this year. Trump said yes on the spot.
That’s why the Royal Family is front-and-centre when it comes to hosting duties, flexing all the soft power at their disposal (and, perhaps, reminding the British public why they’re worth keeping on.)
Here’s everything you need to know about how the royals are rolling out the red carpet for Trump this week.
1. Trump has long had a fascination with the Royal Family
Like Teresa May before him, who invited Trump for his first state visit within days of starting his first term, Keir Starmer knows that the U.S. president is a big royal fan. “She is so sharp, so wise, so beautiful,” Trump said to Piers Morgan of the late queen in 2018. (He was similarly complimentary about Prince William, saying after he met him at the reopening of Notre Dame last year that “he’s a good-looking guy.”)
His royal fascination seems to come from his Scottish-born mother, although in “The Art of The Deal,” he relayed his father’s opinion that the royals are “all a bunch of con artists.” For his part, Trump has met members of the Royal Family several times: Charles had tea back at Mar-a-Lago in the late 1980s, and apparently the two men still correspond, with The Telegraph even claiming they’re “pretty close.” Trump also claims to have met Princess Diana “a number of times,” writing in “The Art of the Comeback” that “I couldn’t help but notice how she moved people. She lit up the room with her charm, her presence. She was a genuine princess — a dream lady.” His 2019 state visit — the last Queen Elizabeth II ever hosted — seems to have been one of the highlights of his first term, although according to biographer Craig Brown the late queen actually found him “very rude.”
Another sign of his reverence for the queen? Trump will be placing a wreath on her tomb in St. George’s Chapel during this visit.
2. William and Kate were tapped to be the welcome party
According to Trump, he and William had a “great” conversation when they met privately after the Notre Dame event, while Kate was also present at the banquet held for the last state dinner, too.
The prince and princess’ prominent role in this visit is being interpreted as a sign of the couple’s steadily growing importance within the family.
3. There will be tiaras
Putting the actual tiara in Tiara Diplomacy, the public centrepiece of this visit will be the state banquet on Wednesday evening. Always an occasion when the royals dial the pomp and circumstance up to 11, it’s also a chance for them to raid the family jewel box and, if they’re a woman, wear a tiara. While there’s a chance she may surprise us, it’s very likely that Kate will wear her favourite (and a Diana go-to as well), the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara. Queen Camilla is more of a wild card, although a nice nod to the late queen would be to wear the same tiara, the Burmese Ruby Tiara, that Elizabeth wore to the last U.S. state banquet in 2019.
4. Kate and Melania are doing a joint engagement
In one of the more interesting items on the itinerary, the Princess of Wales and the first lady will be spending official time together on Thursday. On the grounds of Windsor Castle, they’re hosting an event for The Scouts that celebrates time spent in nature, something Kate has become a big advocate for. Earlier in the day, Queen Camilla is going to give Melania a tour of the library at Windsor Castle, plus a look at the famous Queen Mary’s Doll House.
