King Charles is expected to welcome Donald Trump for his state visit in September, as the pair’s busy schedules have prevented them meeting earlier this summer.
The King had suggested in the invitation handed to the President by Sir Keir Starmer in the Oval Office that Trump could meet him at either Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland prior to the full state visit.
While the King is due to be in Balmoral and Trump in Scotland to visit his new golf course in Aberdeenshire in the coming months, their conflicting diaries mean they are unable to meet over the summer.
No 10 has started planning for the state visit this autumn, despite some concerns from Buckingham Palace over Trump’s expressed desire for Canada to become the 51st state.
Canada’s PM, Mark Carney, said his nation was ‘not impressed’ that Trump was being afforded the lavish pomp and ceremony of a state visit.
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During his visit to Canada for last week’s G7 summit, Sir Keir reaffirmed the country to be ‘an independent, sovereign nation, and quite right too’.
The King also his own coded reference to sovereignty during his state opening of the Canadian parliament, quoting the nation’s national anthem: ‘The True North is indeed strong and free.’
Preparations have now begun for the President’s unprecedented second state visit, during which Trump will meet the King, who is also Canada’s head of state, at Windsor.
Last week, Trump received the formal invitation to the occasion, the manu regia, hand delivered to the White House by representatives of the British embassy in Washington.
While the exact date is unknown, it is believed the grand occasion will go ahead some time in September.
Downing Street denied going against the wishes of the King in accelerating planning for the state visit.
A spokesperson for No 10 said: ‘That’s untrue. During his visit to the White House in February the Prime Minister was delighted to extend His Majesty the King’s invite for a historic second state visit to the president and first lady and the president was pleased to accept.
‘Of course the Prime Minister looks forward to welcoming President Trump.’
The President first state visit was a three-day affair in London hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Trump has said publicly he would be travelling to the UK in September for what he called a ‘fest’.
A source close to the King told the Times there was no disagreement between the royal household and the Government over the occasion.
They added that all state visits took place on the advice of the Government.
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