What we know about Donald Trump's state visit to the UK - key timings and details

The US president and first lady Melania Trump have met the King and Queen in the grounds of Windsor Castle, where they will be hosted over the next 48 hours.

The trip is unusual as US presidents serving a second term are not typically offered a state visit. Instead, they are invited for tea or lunch with the monarch, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

Here's a look at how the state visit has gone so far and the details of what's coming up.

What has happened so far?

The Prince and Princess of Wales greeted the president and his wife in the grounds of the Windsor estate shortly after midday, before accompanying them to meet the King and Queen for an open-air greeting.

Mr and Mrs Trump, the King, Queen, William and Kate then took part in a carriage procession through the estate to the castle, with the carriage ride joined by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which provided a Sovereign's Escort, as well as members of the armed forces and three military bands.

In contrast to French President Emmanuel Macron's visit in July, they did not enjoy a carriage ride through the town, nor take a trip into London to see the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.

A ceremonial welcome with a guard of honour was then staged in the quadrangle of the castle, as is customary, with the Massed Band of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards, performing the UK and US national anthems.

Members of the royal family then joined the Trumps in the State Dining Room and the visitors were taken to the Green Drawing Room to see a special display of Royal Collection items that relate to the US.

The president and his wife then visited St George's Chapel privately this afternoon to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, whom they both met on their first state visit.

This was followed by a short tour of the chapel and a musical performance from the chapel choir.

There was then a Beating Retreat military spectacle and ceremony featuring some 200 military musicians on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle.

It was watched by the Trumps, King and Queen and Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Starmer, alongside spectators including UK and US military personnel and military families.

Live updates on historic state visit

Beating Retreats have their origins in the early years of organised warfare, when the beating of drums and the parading of Post Guards heralded the closing of camp gates and the lowering of flags at the end of the day.

They were then treated to a flypast by the Red Arrows alongside UK and US F-35 military jets on the east lawn at Windsor Castle, as well as a special Beating Retreat military ceremony.

The aircraft, which have never been flown together for a state visit, featured two F-35B from number 207 Squadron, the United Kingdom's F-35B Operational Conversion Unit based at RAF Marham, and two F-35As from the 493rd Fighter Squadron, US Air Force, based at RAF Lakenheath.

What is happening next?

A traditional grand state banquet is set to take place this evening at the castle's St George's Hall, with both Mr Trump and the King set to give speeches as it begins.

It will conclude with traditional Scottish airs performed by 12 pipers from the Scots Guards.

What is happening tomorrow?

The president and first lady will formally bid farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle, before Mr Trump heads to Chequers, the prime minister's official country residence in Buckinghamshire.

He will meet Sir Keir Starmer and his wife and be greeted with a guard of honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers.

The president and prime minister will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives held at Chequers, before holding a bilateral meeting and joining a business reception with the chancellor. A press conference is expected to follow.

Meanwhile, Mrs Trump is set to view the Queen Mary's Dolls' House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, before joining the Princess of Wales at Frogmore Gardens for a meeting with the Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts' Squirrels programme.

Kate has been Joint President of the Scout Association since 2020.

Mrs Trump will later travel to Chequers to join her husband as the remaining elements of the state visit take place.

Sir Keir and Lady Victoria are to bid farewell to the Trumps at Chequers, while the Lord Chamberlain will be there to wave them off on behalf of King Charles.

The US president will not visit parliament - usually an honour given to visiting heads of state - as the House of Commons will be in recess for party conference season.

This could help resolve a potentially awkward issue after some MPs had raised significant concerns about Mr Trump being given the privilege of speaking.

US tech and finance giants on banquet guest list

To coincide with the state visit, some of the United States' biggest technology companies have pledged billions of pounds of investment to turbocharge Britain's AI industry.

To mark the £30bn investment, some of the biggest bosses in the industry are set to join the US president for the banquet on Wednesday evening, Sky News understands.

Jensen Huang, the boss of Nvidia, the chipmaker which has become the world's most valuable public company, is among them.

Sources told Sky News' City editor Mark Kleinman that Sam Altman, the boss of OpenAI; Larry Fink, chairman and chief executive of asset management behemoth BlackRock; and Stephen Schwarzman, the boss of private equity giant Blackstone, are also expected to join.

Tim Cook, the Apple chief executive, has also been invited and may attend a state banquet at Windsor, the sources added, while Jamie Dimon, the JP Morgan chief, is understood to be unable to make the trip because of existing diary commitments.

When was Trump invited for the state visit?

Buckingham Palace originally announced that Mr and Mrs Trump had accepted an invitation from the King to pay a state visit to the UK from Wednesday 17 September to Friday 19 September.

But the visit was moved, and slightly shortened, due to the president's schedule, so the Trumps arrived on Tuesday evening and leave on Thursday.

Sir Keir handed the invite to Mr Trump on behalf of the King during his own visit to the White House in February.

After reading it, Mr Trump said it was a "great, great honour", adding "and that says 'at Windsor' - that's really something".

Windsor is being used as refurbishment works continue at Buckingham Palace.

The trip comes two months after Mr Trump went on a private visit to Scotland, during which he held meetings with Sir Keir, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, and the First Minister of Scotland John Swinney - and also opened a luxury new golf course.

What happened during Trump's last state visit?

Mr Trump's state visit in 2019 involved him meeting Queen Elizabeth II and having tea hosted by King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales.

Mr Trump delivered a speech during a lavish state banquet in a ballroom in Buckingham Palace.

The US president also visited Westminster Abbey, where he was greeted by Prince Andrew and paid his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

He wrote a message in the visitors' book, which read: "Thank you so much. This has been a great honour. Special place."

Also during his visit, he held talks with former prime minister Theresa May. The pair then held a joint press conference.

-SKY NEWS