Queen to meet Joe Biden for tea and Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle
13 June 2021, 10:02 | Updated: 13 June 2021, 17:03
The Queen is set to greet US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at Windsor Castle with a Guard of Honour and afternoon tea.
The couple will visit her Berkshire royal residence on Sunday after introducing themselves at a reception for G7 leaders at the Eden Project.
Their latest meeting comes the day after the Queen received her official birthday gift from the nation's armed forces - a ceremony of pomp and pageantry in her honour - which was held at the castle.
Read more: Scaled-back Trooping the Colour takes place for Queen's official birthday
The traditional Trooping the Colour, which is normally staged in London, was ruled out for the second successive year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The carefully choreographed arrangements to welcome Mr Biden echo the welcome given to Donald Trump in 2018, when the controversial former president travelled to Windsor to meet the monarch.
Joe Biden and Royal fans at Windsor
Mr Trump and the Queen had afternoon tea together in the castle's Oak Room, with the meeting lasting longer than expected.
It was due to last around half an hour but overran by almost 20 minutes, prompting speculation about what was discussed.
In 2008, US President George W Bush enjoyed a traditional English afternoon spread of tea, small sandwiches and cakes
Read more: US First Lady Dr Jill Biden and Kate Middleton meet for first time
The Queen will greet the Bidens at the dais in the castle's quadrangle, where the Guard of Honour formed of The Queen's Company First Battalion Grenadier Guards will give a Royal Salute and the US national anthem will be played.
Mr Biden will then accompany the Officer Commanding the Guard of Honour, Major James Taylor, and Major General Christopher Ghika to inspect the Honour Guard before returning to the dais to watch the military march-past.
In 2018, the Queen accompanied Mr Trump to inspect the Guard of Honour at Windsor.
Escorting a visiting head of state to inspect the troops is a role that usually fell to the late Duke of Edinburgh, before he retired in 2017.
Explained: G7 Summit dates, Cornwall location and participating countries
There have been 14 US presidents during the Queen's 69-year reign - from Harry S Truman to Mr Biden.
Mr Biden, who is in the UK for the G7 summit, will be the 13th American leader to meet the monarch, with Lyndon B Johnson the only one the Queen has not met.
