President Donald Trump described his state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night as “one of the highest honors of my life,” thanking King Charles III for the lavish welcome and calling on the US and UK to continue defending “the values of the English-speaking world.”
The event took place in St. George’s Hall, decorated with heraldic shields and medieval armor. Trump, 79, sat between King Charles, 76, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who is recovering from cancer treatment. First Lady Melania Trump, dressed in a striking yellow Carolina Herrera gown with a lilac belt, was seated with Prince William and Queen Camilla.
Lighthearted Jokes and a Shared History
In his speech, Trump praised both the king and the British people. “This is truly one of the highest honors of my life — such respect for you and such respect for your country,” he said, adding humorously that he hoped to be the “last” American president to be invited twice.
Charles, for his part, looked back on his own ties to America. “I have always admired the ingenuity of the American people and the principles of freedom, which your great democracy has represented since its inception,” he said, recalling his first US trip in 1970.
The king even joked about old speculation that President Richard Nixon had once tried to pair him with his daughter Tricia, saying, “Had the media succeeded in the 1970s, I myself might have been married off within the Nixon family.”
Praise for the King and a Call to Defend Shared Values
Trump lauded Charles as someone who “has epitomized the fortitude, nobility and the spirit of the British monarchy,” citing his environmental and cultural efforts. He even noted a resurfaced 1993 letter by Charles that expressed a wish “to put the ‘great’ back into Great Britain,” likening it to his own “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Closing his remarks, Trump stressed unity. “We must continue to stand for the values of the people of the English-speaking world, and we do indeed stand for that,” he said, in what many saw as a nod to debates about free speech in Britain.
King Charles’ Reflections on Alliance and Peace
Charles emphasized the enduring partnership between the US and UK as the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches. “In two world wars, we fought together to defeat the forces of tyranny,” he said. “Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”
The king also praised Trump’s “personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world’s most intractable conflicts in order to secure peace.”
A Banquet Steeped in Tradition
The evening included nods to Trump’s heritage, with wines and cognac chosen to reflect his birth year and his mother’s Scottish roots. Prince William wore the Windsor uniform, while Princess Catherine chose a cream gown with gold lace. Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, were also present, with Boulos seated close to the president. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the royal and political elite at the long table.
The state dinner, personally overseen by King Charles and Queen Camilla, capped months of careful planning — underscoring both tradition and the continuing importance of the Anglo-American relationship.