As Donald Trump and his wife Melania prepare to touch down in the UK for their two-day state visit, King Charles III and Queen Camilla are overseeing the set-up of the lavish state banquet inside Windsor Castle, which will welcome over 160 guests on Wednesday night. The white tie event has been meticulously planned down to the minute, with preparations beginning more than six months prior. Staff typically take up to three days to set the table to perfection, even measuring the distance between the plates and glasses to get it right.
Charles and Camilla will inspect the table ahead of time alongside the Master of the Household, Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, to ensure no mistakes have been made. The table will feature stunning seasonal flowers from the surrounding gardens, which will then be donated to Floral Angels, a charity that sends them to hospices, elderly care homes and shelters to be enjoyed by residents.
As for the drinks menu, the team typically creates a bespoke cocktail for the occasion that represents the guest of honor's country, despite Donald being a non-drinker. When French President Emmanuel Macron visited in July, the cocktail of the hour was the L'entente, which featured British gin, lemon curd, French pastis, and a garnish of dried French cornflowers with English roses. During the Japanese Emperor and Empress's visit to the UK in 2024, their cocktail was a yuzu marmalade sour.
The state banquet's guests will likely include some famous faces from the US, as well as senior royals like the Prince of Wales and the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It is not yet confirmed if Princess Kate will attend with her husband. All guests must arrive in white tie attire or their national dress, with some royal women likely to don tiaras for the occasion.
Royal family members will wear their orders if they have received them in recognition of royal services. As for the seating order, Donald will sit next to Charles on one side of the table, while Melania and Camilla will sit opposite their husbands. Both leaders will deliver their own speech starting from 8:30 pm, followed by the sound of their national anthems.
© Getty ImagesThe menu will be in French, with around 19 stations set up around the room to take care of serving food and drink. Each station is manned by a page, a footman, an under butler and a wine butler. The 79-year-old's previous state visit in 2019 saw a stunning menu that served up seasonal British produce, with a steamed fillet of halibut with watercress mousse, asparagus spears and chervil sauce to start.
© Getty ImagesGuests then enjoyed a saddle of new season Windsor lamb with fragrant herb stuffing, spring vegetables and port sauce, and for dessert, strawberry sable with tangy lemon verbena cream and an assortment of fresh fruit before coffee and petit fours. The President's trip marks the first time that an elected head of state will be honored with a second state visit to the UK. Queen Elizabeth II led the previous state banquet and shared a speech about the UK and the US's deep connection.
© Getty Images"Visits by American Presidents always remind us of the close and longstanding friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States, and I am so glad that we have another opportunity to demonstrate the immense importance that both our countries attach to our relationship," she said in her speech.
© Getty Images"Mr. President, as we look to the future, I am confident that our common values and shared interests will continue to unite us. Tonight, we celebrate an alliance that has helped to ensure the safety and prosperity of both our peoples for decades, and which I believe will endure for many years to come."
