U.S. President Donald Trump, along with first lady Melania Trump, will arrive in England for a state visit with King Charles on Sept. 17. The couple will stay in the U.K. until the 19th. However, the Trumps will not encounter two working royals at all while the king hosts them.
A royal commentator suggested that POTUS absolutely hopes to see the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton).
“Catherine will be the icing on the cake for a man as vain as Donald Trump,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror. “To be seen with her will be gold dust in his eyes.”
So, will Kate and Prince William be there to greet the president? Read on to find out.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are both expected to be present at Windsor for the Trumps’ visit. However, the king’s youngest brother and his wife will not be.
A pair of Buckingham Palace press releases revealed that Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly the Countess of Wessex), will be out of the country when President Trump and Melania land in England. The royal pair will not be present for the duration of their trip.
According to one release, Edward and Sophie “will visit Papua New Guinea from Sunday 14th September to Wednesday 17th September to attend celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence from Australia.
“The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a dawn flag-raising ceremony and a State Dinner to mark the occasion. During the visit, on behalf of The King, His Royal Highness will present new Regimental Colours to the First Royal Pacific Islands Regiment and confer 50th Independence Anniversary King’s Medals, awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to Papua New Guinea. The Duke will also visit the new National Court Complex and meet communities in Port Moresby.”
The other release noted that the Edinburghs will then visit Japan. They’ll travel between Osaka and Tokyo for several engagements from Sept. 18 through the 22.
When the president returns for his visit to the U.K., he won’t be in London at Buckingham Palace. Instead, the king will host the Trumps at Windsor Castle.
King Charles and Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, shared the reason why the monarch won’t accommodate the president at the famed Palace.
Speaking on behalf of Genting Casino, Burrell told Showbiz Cheat Sheet: “Buckingham Palace is in a 10-year plan to be refurbished. It’s being rewired, re-plumbed, and refurbished as it hasn’t been upgraded since the turn of the century. Work will continue to disrupt Palace life for the next three years. It is costing £369 million ($500 million) by way of an uplift to the sovereign grant to refurbish 775 rooms, and whilst that’s happening, the royal household can’t entertain on a large scale.
“The last phase, which is currently underway, is the queen’s wing, which is the south wing where her late Majesty lived with Prince Philip. The Palace is a mess, and that’s why they’re using Windsor as a backup. Buckingham Palace will be ready again to receive a state visit in 2027.”
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