The U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to visit the United Kingdom this September at the personal invitation of King Charles III, marking what would be an unprecedented second state visit offered to a single American leader.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump described the invitation as a deep honour and a reflection of his close rapport with the British royal family. “I was invited by the King and the great country… It is beautiful,” he said. “It is the second time this has happened to one person. The reason is we have two separate terms and it’s an honour to be a friend of King Charles and the family, William.”
According to Times UK, the upcoming visit is being positioned as an even grander affair than Trump’s previous state trip in 2019, during which he joined the late Queen Elizabeth II in commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. That visit featured military pageantry and a formal dinner hosted by then-Prince Charles at Winfield House, the U.S. ambassador’s residence in London.
Plans for the September return have yet to be finalised, but reports indicate that King Charles extended the invitation in a hand-delivered letter passed to Trump by UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during the president’s first official meeting following his inauguration for a second term. The letter reportedly suggested not one but two potential visits—an informal gathering at one of the King’s private residences in Scotland, and a full ceremonial state occasion later in the year.
The informal meeting could take place at either Balmoral Castle or Dumfries House, with a possible alignment to Trump’s travel plans to his Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire. While King Charles proposed a relaxed setting for early discussions, Trump has expressed a preference for a more high-profile stage, with The Telegraph reporting that he favours a return to Windsor Castle, where he previously met Queen Elizabeth II.
“The last one was incredible, but they say the next one will be even more important,” Trump said of the forthcoming event, suggesting that both sides are treating the visit as a significant diplomatic moment.
The letter from the King, which Trump briefly displayed to the media, was described as warm and personal. Charles reminisced on Trump’s earlier visit “with great fondness,” and touched on shared global challenges and “the values which matter so much to us all.”
While logistical details remain under discussion, the potential visit underscores a continuing bond between Trump and the British monarchy. It also signals King Charles’s willingness to engage diplomatically across political lines, as well as the unique position Trump occupies as a returning U.S. president.
As Times UK notes, the planned visit may also serve as a catalyst for renewed talks on a US-UK trade deal, with Senator JD Vance recently commenting that Trump “loves Britain” and would likely seek stronger bilateral ties in his second term.
