San Francisco Frontiers - Trump to get royal treatment on UK state visit

From a carriage ride with the monarch to a flypast and a lavish state dinner in the nearly 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle, the UK is going the extra mile to dazzle and flatter the unpredictable Trump.

A huge security operation will keep the 79-year-old Republican far away from demonstrators and the British public -among whom polls indicate Trump remains unpopular -with the extraordinary show of pomp and pageantry unfolding entirely behind closed doors, and outside London.

Knowing that Trump is obsessed with Britain's royals and loves showy displays of pomp, Britain has turned up the pageantry to the max as he becomes the first US president to receive a second UK state visit.

The trip will involve what British officials call the biggest military ceremonial welcome for any state visit in living memory -- even bigger than when Queen Elizabeth II hosted Trump in 2019.

Trump will also get the first joint flypast by US and UK fighter jets at an event of its kind, and the largest guard of honour at a state visit, featuring 120 horses and 1,300 troops.

It's all designed to appeal to a US leader who this year crowed "LONG LIVE THE KING!" about himself on social media before the White House posted a fake magazine cover of him wearing a crown.

- 'Warm my heart' -

The question for Britain is whether the red carpet welcome will win over Trump, whose unpredictability on everything from tariffs to Ukraine and Gaza has caused global turmoil.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be hoping Trump leaves on Thursday feeling the warm glow of royal soft power -- but there are no guarantees.

Trump appeared to be feeling the love as he arrived by helicopter at the US ambassador's official residence in London on Tuesday with First Lady Melania Trump.

"A lot of things here warm my heart," said the president, whose mother hailed from Scotland and who owns two golf resorts the country.

He described Charles, 76, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, as "my friend".

The Republican may also relish a chance to escape a turbulent period at home in the United States, where the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has caused deep turmoil.

But the spectre loomed of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who is providing domestic headaches for both Trump and Starmer and who has caused the royal family considerable embarrassment.

Police arrested four people after they projected images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle late Tuesday. Thousands were expected to attend protests planned in London on Wednesday.

Trump's day will begin with heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Catherine welcoming him and Melania to Windsor Castle, the home of the British royals for nearly a millennium.

Charles and his wife Queen Camilla are then due to join them for a carriage procession through the grounds of Windsor estate towards the castle -- again behind closed doors.

The Trumps will lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022.

- Shadow of Epstein -

Trump will also witness a military band ceremony, ending with a flypast by US and British F-35 military jets and the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows display team.

Starmer will host Trump on the second day of the visit on Thursday at his country residence, Chequers.

The pair will be buoyed by British pharmaceutical group GSK's announcement that it will invest $30 billion in the United States over the next five years but talks could turn awkward on several fronts.

Starmer in particular faces political troubles at home, after sacking his UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over a furore involving the diplomat's connection to the late Epstein.

Q.Nelson--SFF