The American president Donald Trump visited England in 2019 but returns for an unusual second state visit this week.
The Britons and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's hope is to charm Trump with pomp and circumstance, to facilitate diplomatic talks about sensitive subjects such as tariffs and the war in Ukraine.
Trump loves the monarchy and the royal family. It is a potential diplomatic trump card for the British government, says Anna Whitelock, professor of modern monarchical history at the University of London City St George's, to BBC.
On the schedule are, among other things, a royal welcome ceremony led by King Charles in Windsor, a ceremony at Queen Elizabeth II's grave, a state banquet in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, where the king holds a carefully prepared speech to Trump.
The Britons hope to strengthen the relationship between the countries and facilitate future cooperation in a time of political polarization. The state visit begins with a ceremony on Wednesday.
