A file image of U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
| Photo Credit: AP

US President-elect Donald Trump is poised to make history as the first elected politician to receive two state visits from the British royal family. According to a report by The Telegraph, Downing Street and the Foreign Office are preparing to extend an invitation to Trump for another state visit once he returns to the White House in January.

The move is seen as an attempt to strengthen ties between the UK and the US, with British diplomats hopeful that Trump’s admiration for the Royal Family will play a significant role in fostering a closer relationship between the two nations. A senior Whitehall source revealed to the Telegraph that Trump’s affection for the royals is well-known, citing the fact that he had a personal photo album made of his previous state visit to the UK in 2019.

During that visit, Trump was treated to a lavish three-day state visit, which included dining with the late Queen Elizabeth II and a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth. The visit was seen as a significant moment in Trump’s presidency, with the Queen herself telling Trump, “I hope you come to this country again soon.” Trump responded by praising the Queen, calling her a “Great, great woman.”

Trump’s relationship with the Royal Family appears to be warming up, with a recent meeting between Trump and Prince William at the historic reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The two shared a warm handshake, and later spent 40 minutes in private at the UK Ambassador’s Residence in Paris, discussing various global issues and the UK-US relationship.

Trump even praised Prince William, saying he’s “doing a fantastic job.” The President-elect also shared fond memories of the late Queen. The meeting was seen as a significant moment in Trump’s relationship with the Royal Family, with many hoping that it will mark the beginning of a closer relationship between the US and the UK.

The potential state visit is expected to take place in 2026, although no official date has been confirmed. If it goes ahead, Trump will become the first elected politician to receive two state visits from the British royal family. The visit will likely be seen as a significant moment in Trump’s presidency, and will likely be closely watched by diplomats and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.
 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer touched upon a range of topics, including defence and regional security, during his congratulatory phone call with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump after a “historic” election victory.

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During the call on Wednesday (November 6) evening, both leaders agreed to work towards strengthening the “incredibly strong” U.S.-U.K. special relationship and committed to ensure the bilateral ties continue to thrive.

“The Prime Minister offered his hearty congratulations and said he looked forward to working closely with President-elect Trump across all areas of the special relationship. From defence and security to growth and prosperity, the relationship between the U.K. and U.S. was incredibly strong and would continue to thrive for many years to come, the leaders agreed,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Mr. Starmer is said to have also reflected on the situation in the Middle East and “underscored the importance of regional stability”. They went on to discuss their recent meeting at Trump Tower when Starmer was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

“The leaders fondly recalled their meeting in September, and President-elect Trump’s close connections and affinity to the United Kingdom and looked forward to working with one another,” Downing Street added.

The phone call came after a heated first exchange between Mr. Starmer and the newly elected U.K. Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch in the House of Commons.

The Conservative Party chief challenged the Labour leader over his party volunteers having flown in to support the campaign of Trump’s Democrat rival Kamala Harris.

“I am very sure that President Trump will soon be calling to thank him for sending all of those north London Labour activists to campaign for his Opponent,” Ms. Badenoch taunted.

“It is absolutely crucial that we have a strong relationship – that strong, special relationship, forged in difficult circumstances — between the U.S. and the U.K.. We will continue to work, as we have done in our four months in government, on issues of security, our economy and global conflict,” Mr. Starmer responded.

Earlier, Mr. Starmer had been forced to stress that any party activists in the U.S. during the election campaign were there as volunteers on their own time.

Ms. Badenoch also raised the risk of increased tariffs on U.K. exports by the new Trump administration, which would threaten the country’s manufacturing sector and urged him to revive UK-US free trade agreement (FTA) talks, which the previous Biden regime had cancelled.

Meanwhile, Mr. Starmer is in Budapest on Thursday for a summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban where Trump’s victory and its implications on Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are expected to dominate the agenda.

The European Political Community (EPC), which holds these summits every six months, was set up in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a chance for the European Union (EU) to meet wider partners including non-members such as the UK and Turkiye to discuss key security challenges affecting Europe.