Trump hails 'friend' King Charles as he boards Air Force One for unprecedented second state visit to the UK

The US President will touch down in Britain this evening ahead of a two-day trip where he will meet the King, Queen and Sir Keir Starmer.

Speaking to the press ahead before boarding his flight, Mr Trump hailed his "friend" King Charles and his “great relationship” with the UK.

Asked what he hoped to achieve during the visit, the US President said: "My relationship is very good with the UK, and Charles, as you know, who's now King, is my friend.

Read more: The huge convoy that will accompany Trump on UK state visit

"It's the first time this has ever happened where somebody was honoured twice. So, it's a great honour.

"And this one's at Windsor. They've never used Windsor Castle for this before. They use Buckingham Palace. And I don't want to say one's better than the other, but they say Windsor Castle is the ultimate, right? So it's going to be nice."

He continued: "Primarily it's to be with Charles and Camilla. They're friends of mine for a long time, long before he was King, and it's an honour to have this King.

"And, you know, I think he represents the country so well. He's such an elegant gentleman and he represents the country so well."

Mr Trump also said he is "into helping" Britain on fine-tuning the UK-US trade deal, as the government seeks to eliminate tariffs on British steel imports to the US.

He was speaking before boarding Air Force One, which took off from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to land in the UK tonight.

Thousands are expected to protest Mr Trump’s arrival in UK over the next two days, as anti-Trump groups accuse the Government of appeasing the right-wing leader.

He will be in Windsor until Thursday, when he and the first lady, Melania Trump, will head to Chequers to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Lady Starmer.

Although Mr Trump will not visit Parliament, where the House of Commons will be in recess for party conference season, campaigners said they will demonstrate against what they called "our government's choice to honour a man who is violating human rights in the United States and around the world".

The Stop Trump Coalition demonstrators will gather in Portland Place in central London on Wednesday before marching towards Parliament Square.

A spokeswoman for the Stop Trump Coalition said: "After seeing the UK's largest far-right demo this past weekend, it is even more essential to turn out to protest against Donald Trump's state visit.

"Starmer's response to this disgusting display was too little, too late, and now he's welcoming Trump here to discuss nuclear and tech deals that will help the rich get richer but do nothing for everyday people.

"We do not want our government to trade away our democracy and decency."

Throughout Mr Trump's time in Windsor, armed police will be patrolling the streets with response vehicles ready in case of increased threat, Thames Valley Police said.

Sergeant Daniel Hatfield, of the firearms unit, said: "Our firearms officers are here to keep everyone safe as well as engage with the people, so if you see us then please come and say hello.

"Some of our tactics will be visible, others will operated discreetly behind the scenes. Together, they form part of a wider security strategy designed to keep Windsor safe.

"We thank the public for their continued support and vigilance during this important event.

"If you see or hear anything unusual or suspicious, please report it to an officer. Or in an emergency call 999."

Mr Trump was honoured with a state visit in 2019, during which thousands of people turned out on the streets of London in opposition.