LONDON — President Donald Trump was granted a royal welcome like no other on Wednesday, greeted by King Charles III and senior royals at Windsor Castle for his unprecedented second state visit.
The U.K.’s largest military ceremony for a visiting foreign leader in living memory saw 1,300 military personnel, 120 horses, and the full weight of Britain’s ceremonial traditions brought out to welcome the American president.
Outside the castle walls, protesters gathered in London to make clear their opposition to Trump’s arrival. But inside Windsor Castle there was nothing but pomp and pageantry as the ancient fortress transformed into a stage for royal ceremony.
While big business and political issues were being discussed and negotiated during his trip, including a multi-billion dollar technology deal and the war in Ukraine, royal spectacle has dominated the day so far.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived aboard Marine One, which in a rare move landed inside the Walled Garden of Windsor Castle — the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle.
They were greeted by Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, before Trump joined King Charles III for a carriage procession through the royal estate, though not before the President and the King shared a handshake marked by a 41-round gun salute from six World War I-era guns and the sound of the two nations’ national anthems.
The pair traveled in the Irish State Coach, followed by Queen Camilla and Melania in the Scottish State Coach, while William and Catherine rode behind with U.S. Ambassador Warren Stephens and his wife Harriet.
The processional route, closed to the public, was lined with soldiers drawn from across the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force.
Eighty soldiers from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment rode alongside the carriages as part of the Sovereign’s escort. The Life Guards, in red tunics and white plumed helmets, and the Blues and Royals, in blue tunics with red plumes, flanked the route in traditional formation.
As the carriages rolled through the estate toward Windsor Castle, the sound of hooves echoed against the walls of Windsor, which was founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century and home to 40 monarchs since.
Inside the castle grounds, the mood was more hushed, steeped in ceremony.
Trump and the King walked between the neat lines of soldiers wearing their traditional red jackets and tall bearskin jackets, before attending lunch inside Windsor Castle’s State Dining Room. The menu has not been revealed.
After lunch, King Charles and Queen Camilla took the president and first lady to view a special display of artifacts connected to the U.S. from the Royal Collection.
Trump was then set to pay a visit to the crypt of St. George’s Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth II is buried, to lay a wreath.
He is also set to tour the chapel itself, built in 1475 under Edward IV and completed under Henry VIII, a site of worship for the royal family and resting place of monarchs including George VI, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
Outside Windsor’s walls, the picture was not so welcoming.
Almost 25 miles away in central London, demonstrators gathered for a march protesting Trump’s visit.
Many carried signs reading “stop Trump,” “stop fascism,” and “stop the genocide,” in reference to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Organizers said thousands had signed up to join, with more than 1,500 police officers deployed as the march made its way through the capital toward Parliament.
Shaista Aziz, a co-organizer of the Stop Trump Coalition, which is leading the march, joined by dozens of other protest groups, told NBC News thousands of people had signed up to join the demonstration, some of whom were taking time off work to attend.
“It’s really quite clear — Trump is not welcome in the U.K., and Trumpism is not welcome either, and our message to our own Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is stand up to Trump,” said Aziz.
“We strongly object to the politics of bigotry and hate, of genocide, and we demand that Keir Starmer stands up for us as a British people against this type of hatred,” she added.
Police arrested four people after photos of Trump and late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto Windsor Castle Tuesday night.
Despite their arrest, one image returned Wednesday as a truck traveled through the town of Windsor displayed a photo with Trump and Epstein and a caption reading “Welcome to the UK, Donald.”