Trump hails ‘elegant gentleman’ King Charles as he boards Air Force One and jets to UK for State visit

Donald Trump has hailed King Charles an ‘elegant gentleman’ ahead of the US President’s unprecedented second state visit to the UK. 

The American leader and his wife, First Lady Melania, have boarded Air Force One and will be hosted by the King after they arrive in Britain later tonight.  

Trump hailed the second state visit to the UK as a ‘great honour’ and said that he is looking forward to talking to his ‘friend’, the King.

During his three-day tour of the UK, the president will enjoy a royal flypast, a carriage ride with Princess Kate and a grand state banquet among other meetings.

Speaking at the White House before departing, the president added how it is ‘the first time it has ever happened where somebody was honoured twice’ with a state visit.

Insisting his his visit is ‘primarily’ to meet the King and Queen, Trump added: ‘They’re friends of mine for a long time, long before he was King, and it’s an honour to have him as King.

‘I think he represents the country so well, I’ve watched, he’s such an elegant gentleman.’

Asked what he hoped to achieve during the visit, the US President told reporters before taking off: ‘My relationship is very good with the UK, and Charles, as you know, who’s now King, is my friend.

‘It’s the first time this has ever happened where somebody was honoured twice. So, it’s a great honour.

‘And this one’s at Windsor. They’ve never used Windsor Castle for this before. They use Buckingham Palace. And I don’t want to say one’s better than the other, but they say Windsor Castle is the ultimate, right? So it’s going to be nice.’

Mr Trump has now boarded Air Force One with wife Melania Trump and will arrive in the UK tonight.

The 79-year-old ‘leader of the free world’ is beginning his three-day state tour tonight before concluding it on Friday. 

It follows from Mr Trump’s first visit in June 2019, where he met the late Queen Elizabeth II and stayed in Winfield House.

Ahead of the major arrival of the US political titan, police and security services have been constructing a ring of steel around Windsor Castle.

The royal residence will host the President and First Lady overnight. No public-facing elements are expected to take place tonight. 

On Wednesday morning, the Prince and Princess of Wales will greet the Mr Trump and his wife in Windsor before joining them for a meeting with the King and Queen. 

Queen Camila had to pull out of attending the funeral of the Duchess of Kent earlier today due to ill health. Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment on whether she will be fit enough to meet Mr Trump and his wife. 

However, royal sources have told the Daily Mail that Her Royal Highness is still expected to attend the event tomorrow.  

As well as praising the King ahead of his visit, the US President also hailed Sir Keir Starmer ahead of the visit, saying he represents the UK ‘so well’.

It comes after Lord Mandelson was dismissed as US ambassador. 

Speaking during a debate on the cutting of Lord Mandelson, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty insisted the PM was ‘focused on deepening our special relationship with the United States’.

‘The Prime Minister and this Government are focused on deepening our special relationship with the United States in the interests of people across the Atlantic, for jobs, for growth, for prosperity, for security, for our defence,’ Mr Doughty told MPs.

‘That relationship with the United States is a relationship that has endured, is enduring and will endure for the prosperity and security of our peoples well into the future.’

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had earlier intervened to further press the Government to apologise to Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.

She said: ‘Will he take this opportunity to apologise to the victims? He has not done so, the Government has not done so.’

Mr Doughty said he has made ‘very clear our position on Epstein’s victims and our horror at the revelations’.