Princess Kate wows as she steps out with William for key Trump state visit role

The Prince and Princess of Wales are welcoming the US President and First Lady for the start of their two-day UK state visit.

Prince William and Princess Kate were waiting to greet President Trump and the First Lady as their helicopter touched down at the Walled Garden inside Windsor Castle just before noon. A royal salute was fired from within Home Park and at the Tower of London to mark the US President’s arrival.

Kate, who looked regal in a maroon Emilia Wickstead dress and a hat by Jane Taylor, and William then accompanied the Presidential couple to Victoria House to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla. The three couples will then take part in a carriage procession through the private Windsor Estate.

They will be accompanied by the Household Cavalry, Mounted Regiment, other members of the Armed Forces, and three military bands.

The largest guard of honour ever at a state visit will be presented to Mr Trump for inspection, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Some 1,300 members of the British military and 120 horses will be involved, with 160 personnel from the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, 1,000 from the British Army and 140 from the Royal Air Force.

Later on Wednesday, UK and US musicians will perform a special Beating Retreat military ceremony, the first time it will be performed at a state visit.

The spectacle will conclude with a joint flypast by UK and US F-35 fighter jets and the Red Arrows, which the MoD said was a demonstration of the strength of the UK-US defence and security relationship.

President Donald Trump and King Charles in Windsor (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

The Princess has a vital role to play in Donald Trump’s visit to the UK as she will carry out a huge engagement with the First Lady.

On their final day in the UK, Melania will look at Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle before meeting with Princess Kate at Frogmore Gardens.

Joining a separate engagement with Kate, Melania and the future Queen will meet with Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme. Kate has been President of the Scout Association since 2020.

Following this visit, Melania will then travel to Chequers to reunite with her husband as the state visit comes to an end.