Trump hails 'highest honour' during historic banquet speech after spectacular day of state visit events
Donald Trump has hailed his unprecedented second state visit as "one of the highest honours" of his life at the state banquet held in his honour.
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The rich and powerful were among those in attendance at the lavish evening event with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Sir Keir Starmer, Apple boss Tim Cook, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman all bagging a seat at the table.
In his speech at the banquet, Mr Trump said: "It’s a singular privilege to be the first American president welcomed here and, if you think about it, it’s a lot of presidents and this was the second state visit, and that’s the first, and maybe that’s going to be the last time.
"But this is truly one of the highest honours of my life, such respect for you and such respect for your country.
"For many decades, His Majesty the King has epitomised the fortitude, nobility and the spirit of the British monarchy and the British people."
The US leader also heaped praise on the King describing him as a "very, very special man", listing a catalogue of his passions from the environment to architecture.
He singled out Charles’s son and heir the Prince of Wales for a mention and the "beautiful" Princess of Wales sitting next to the president.
Mr Trump told the guests: "Seen from American eyes the word special does not begin to do it justice."
He went on to say: "We’re joined by history and faith, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny."
"We’re like two notes in one chord or two verses of the same poem, each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together.“The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal.
"It’s irreplaceable and unbreakable and we are, as a country, as you know, doing unbelievably well.
"We had a very sick country one year ago, and today, I believe we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.
"In fact, nobody’s even questioning it, but we owe so much of that to you and the footing that you gave us when we started."
In his own speech, the King emphasised the importance of protecting the environment.
Charles said the legacy of both nations over the "next 250 years and beyond" is to ensure future generations can experience "natural treasures".
He has long been an advocate for investing in nature, particularly when he was the Prince of Wales.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, has a very different attitude to environmental issues.
He declared an energy emergency on his first day back in the White House, promising to "drill, baby, drill" and eliminate what he called Joe Biden’s electric vehicle mandate.
Speaking at the start of the banquet, the King said: "In striving for a better world, we also have a precious opportunity to safeguard and to restore the wonders and beauty of nature for the generations who follow us.
"We share the ambition, and determination, to preserve our majestic lands and waters; above all, to ensure that we have clean water, clean air and clean food.
"Our legacy for the next 250 years and beyond is to ensure that our children, grandchildren and those who come after them can experience the awe and magnificence of the natural treasures found in the countryside, on the coasts, in the seas and in the national parks established by your predecessors and mine."
Mr Trump nodded along as Charles spoke.
The King also joked about nearly being "married off" to the Nixon family in his speech.
Charles was referring to an occasion in 1970 when, then 21, he spent time with then-president Richard Nixon’s daughter Tricia at social occasions including a dinner and a baseball game.
He said: "For my part, I have always admired the ingenuity of the American people; and the principles of freedom which your great democracy has represented since its inception.
"Throughout my life, from my very first visit to the United States in 1970 and over 20 visits since that time, I have cherished the close ties between the British and American peoples.
"In fact, had the media succeeded in the 1970s in their own attempt at deepening the special relationship, I myself might have been married off within the Nixon family."
Nixon served as president from 1969 until his resignation in 1974 as a result of the Watergate scandal.
Tricia Nixon married Harvard Law student Edward Cox in a White House Rose Garden ceremony in 1971, while Charles went on to marry Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
A bespoke transatlantic whisky sour cocktail garnished with a toasted marshmallow set on a star-shaped biscuit "evoking the warmth of a fireside S’more" was served at the lavish state banquet.
In a tradition started by the King, a new cocktail is created specially for each state dinner and incorporates a nod to its VIP guests.
Buckingham Palace said the tipple, a UK/US twist on the classic whisky sour, "blends the smoky depth of Johnnie Walker Black with the bright citrus of marmalade".
It added: "Crowned with a pecan foam and garnished with a toasted marshmallow set on a star-shaped biscuit, evoking the warmth of a fireside S’more."
Other touching gestures have been added to charm Mr Trump, whose high stakes second state visit is unprecedented for a US leader.
After dinner hosted by the King and Queen, guests were served Warre’s 1945 vintage port, in recognition of Mr Trump’s role as the 45th, as well as the 47th, president of the United States and because it is the closest vintage port year to his birth year.
A Hennessy 1912 Cognac Grande Champagne was also on offer in recognition of the President’s mother Mary Anne MacLeod’s birth year.
Mr Trump and his wife Melania were treated to a day packed full of tours and personal moments with the royal family.
After lunch in the State Dining Room, the King led the President a set of gilded double doors into the Green Drawing Room to see the display of items from the Royal Collection relating to the US.
The president was shown a letter sent from President Abraham Lincoln to Queen Victoria in 1862 after the death of Prince Albert which was described as a “defining moment” in the special relationship between the UK and the US.
Mr Trump remarked "that is so amazing, that’s the real deal" and leant forward to have a closer look.
Mr Lincoln’s expressive letter shared his condolences to the Queen and assured her of the “real sympathy” felt by the people of the United States who "are kindred of the people of Great Britain".
Mr Trump also reacted to a set of Georgian maps tracing the movement of American and British troops at the point of American independence from Britain, and showing where British soldiers surrendered.
The president, who had specifically requested to see the historic documents, remarked: "That’s great. It was at the beginning, right?"
Royal librarian Stella Panayotova said afterwards: "The president requested the Georgian papers material, which are one of the most important sections of material in the Royal Archives.
"The president was particularly interested in the material in the Georgian papers that related to independence."
One of the maps showed the surrender of the British Army at Yorktown in 1781.
The US president and First Lady spent around 10 minutes privately at the late monarch’s final resting place during the first day of their state visit to the UK.
They laid a wreath at her tomb before emerging into the nave of St George’s Chapel to listen to a performance by some young members of the choir and taking a tour of the centuries-old Gothic building.
The president had previously described Queen Elizabeth II in her lifetime as "a spectacular woman" and someone he had a good rapport with.
Thousands of people descended on London to protest Mr Trump’s state visit.
Activists from the Stop Trump Coalition began to march from central London's Portland Place towards Whitehall at around 3pm on Wednesday.
Demonstrators were seen waving placards reading "no to racism", "no to Trump" and "stop arming Israel" as they made their way through central London, fuming at the US President’s visit.
The Stop Trump Coalition consists of over 50 unions and charities, including a mix of climate activists, anti-racism and pro-Palestine campaigners.
A spokesperson for the coalition said ahead of the march: "A government that will bow down to Trump and to racism is one that will open the door to fascism."