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Donald Trump's UK state visit is expected to be after Emmanuel Macron's (Image: Getty)
King Charles will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron to the UK this summer - months before Donald Trump’s expected visit. The French leader and his wife, Brigitte Macron, will spend three days on a state visit in July, staying at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The US President couldn’t hide his excitement when Sir Keir Starmer handed him a letter from King Charles inviting him to a historic second state visit, but this isn’t expected to happen until September. But at a time when strong US-UK relations are increasingly crucial, some could argue that Mr Trump should have been invited before his French counterpart. So what do you think? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments section. Can't see the poll below? Click here.
Mr Macron has been in office for eight years, but this will be his first state visit to the UK.
His visit will last three days between July 8 to July 10, during which he and his wife will be feted with a state banquet at Windsor Castle in Berkshire.
It will be France’s first state visit to Britain since 2009, and the UK will see it as a move to strengthen ties with Europe and bolster its economy after the turbulence caused by Mr Trump’s tariffs.
Donald Trump received a state visit invite from the King in February (Image: Getty)
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The UK and France have been working closely together in the so-called Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine.
The US President’s state visit invitation was handed to him by the Prime Minister at the White House in February.
Mr Trump, who has a well documented admiration for the Royal Family, said it would be an “honour” to visit the UK after reading the letter from the King who he described as a “beautiful man, a wonderful man”.
The move is unprecedented as second-term US presidents are usually not offered a state visit.
It is a clear example of Britain’s influential soft power at a time of heightened transatlantic tensions following Mr Trump’s trade war and matters including Ukraine, European security and Greenland.
Last week, the US and UK agreed on a trade deal - the first of its kind since President Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on a number of countries in his so-called Liberation Day last month.
English (US) · 