Trump Bids Farewell to Windsor Castle Royals, Heads to Chequers for High-Stakes Talks with Starmer
Windsor, UK – President Donald Trump departed the historic grounds of Windsor Castle on Thursday morning, marking the transition from royal pomp to political pragmatism on the second day of his unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom. After a day of pageantry that included a lavish state banquet and military honors hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Trump boarded Marine One for a short flight to Chequers, the prime minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, where he will engage in substantive discussions with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The departure unfolded under crisp autumn skies, with Trump and First Lady Melania Trump exchanging warm farewells with the King and Queen outside the castle’s iconic quadrangle. Earlier, the royal couple had overseen a Beating Retreat ceremony featuring the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines and the Red Arrows flypast—though F-35 jets were grounded by poor weather—joined by Prime Minister Starmer and his wife, Victoria. As the presidential helicopter lifted off, Trump waved to assembled dignitaries, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who had greeted the Trumps upon their arrival the previous day.
Upon landing at Chequers, Trump was welcomed by Starmer and Lady Victoria in a setting steeped in British political tradition. The 17th-century manor house, nestled in the Chiltern Hills, sets the stage for bilateral talks expected to focus on trade, security, and global hotspots. High on the agenda: a freshly announced “Tech Prosperity Deal” unlocking £150 billion in U.S. investments, poised to create 7,600 high-quality jobs across the UK, including a massive rollout of 120,000 NVIDIA advanced GPUs—the largest in Europe to date. Starmer hailed the accord as a “generational step change” in UK-U.S. ties, emphasizing growth, security, and opportunity amid post-Brexit economic recalibrations.
The leaders are also slated to tour the Winston Churchill archives at Chequers and host a business reception with U.S. tech titans like Apple’s Tim Cook and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, who attended Wednesday’s banquet. A joint news conference is anticipated in the afternoon, where topics such as NATO commitments, Ukraine support, and the Gaza conflict could test the “special relationship” Trump himself praised in his banquet toast as an “unbreakable bond.” Trump has hinted at flexibility on trade, teasing a “better deal” for the UK, while Starmer navigates domestic pressures to secure U.S. backing without alienating European allies.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump remained at Windsor for a slate of engagements with the royals, including a viewing of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House with Queen Camilla and an event at Frogmore Gardens with Catherine, Princess of Wales, supporting the Scouts Association. The first lady’s itinerary underscores the visit’s blend of diplomacy and cultural exchange.
Not all has been ceremonial serenity. Protests marred the trip’s prelude, with thousands marching in London under the “Stop Trump Coalition” banner, waving Palestinian flags and decrying U.S. policies. Activists from Led By Donkeys projected images of Trump alongside the late Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle’s walls Tuesday night, leading to four arrests for malicious communications and public nuisance. Security was heightened, with a “very high threat level” declared and two men detained for breaching airspace restrictions. Despite the unrest, the visit has proceeded with meticulous choreography, bolstered by an expanded military presence signaling the UK’s plea for sustained U.S. resolve on NATO and Ukraine.
This state visit—Trump’s second, a first for any U.S. president—builds on his 2018 trip, where he received a ceremonial welcome but no full honors. Starmer’s February invitation, delivered personally at the White House, was seen as a diplomatic olive branch to foster ties amid Trump’s return to power. As the two leaders huddle at Chequers, the world watches whether this alliance can bridge divides on trade tariffs, steel duties, and geopolitical flashpoints—or if it will expose fractures in the transatlantic bond.
Sources: BBC News, The Guardian, ABC News, The New York Times, The Independent, Politico, X (formerly Twitter).