Britain is bracing itself for Donald Trump today as he is given the red carpet treatment and meets the Prime Minister and Queen in a visit orchestrated to help him avoid mass protests.
The US president, who is in Brussels after giving NATO leaders a bruising, will land at Stansted Airport with First Lady Melania this afternoon for his controversial trip.
Up to 10,000 police officers have been drafted in to protect him from the threat of mass protests and terror attack when he visits the UK today for three days.
Protesters will follow him to Blenheim Palace, Chequers, Windsor Castle, the US ambassador’s official residence in Regent’s Park, London, and his golf course in Scotland – so there will be large numbers of officers will guard each site.
And London Mayor Sadiq Khan has allowed a group to fly a giant balloon showing Mr Trump as a baby in a nappy over the capital throughout his visit.
Donald Trump met up with Theresa May in Brussels yesterday and is heading to the UK for three days for an extraordinary and controversial visit
Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch (left) will meet the US president and First Lady Melania Trump for tea at Windsor (right)
Nearly every force in England and Wales has contributed officers to help with the massive mobilisation, the biggest since the 2011 riots.
The US President will be accompanied by as many as 1,000 of his own staff, a motorcade led by his bomb-proof Cadillac nicknamed ‘The Beast’ and multiple helicopters during his UK trip.
He arrives after giving NATO leaders a tongue-lashing in Brussels over defence spending and controversial comments about Britain being in ‘turmoil’.
He said he got along with Theresa May ‘very well’, but suggested he might make time during his UK visit to speak with his friend Boris Johnson, who has just rocked her Government by resigning as foreign secretary.
It was ‘up to the people’ whether or not they want Mrs May to stay as Prime Minister, he added.
Although it is not an official state visit, he will be treated to a Guard of Honour when he meets the Queen at Windsor Castle for tea and many of the traditions that accompany one.
The arrangements have been carefully designed to ensure that the US leader feels he is being treated with the appropriate level of pomp and ceremony.
The tight security surrounding the visit will attempt to avoid exposing Mr Trump to planned protests in central London.
His schedule involves a black tie dinner at Blenheim Palace tonight with US and UK business leaders and cabinet ministers, hosted by Mrs May.
Ahead of his arrival the PM said she would use the visit to ‘forge a strengthened, ambitious and future-proof trade partnership’ with the US after Brexit.
Two Boeing C17 Globemastet US Air Force planes delivered part of the Presidential Motorcade at Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire, ahead of the visit of US President Donald Trump
Several black Secret Service 4x4s took to the road with a police escort as part of the huge security operation
Trump will also be treated to a Guard of Honour at the monarch’s Berkshire residence in Windsor
Mrs May said there is ‘no stronger alliance’ than the special relationship between the two countries and ‘there will be no alliance more important in the years ahead’.
Hailing the two countries ‘uniquely close partnership in the fight for democracy and global security’ she also pointed to our ‘unrivalled’ trade and investment relationship.
She added: ‘This week we have an opportunity to deepen this unique trading relationship and begin discussions about how we will forge a strengthened, ambitious and future-proof trade partnership.’
Yesterday Buckingham Palace announced details of the President’s meeting with Her Majesty.
The monarch will meet the American leader and First Lady Melania at a specially erected dais in the Quadrangle of the historic Berkshire royal residence on Friday afternoon.
A Guard of Honour, formed of the Coldstream Guards, will give a Royal Salute and the US national anthem will be played.
The Queen and Mr Trump will then inspect the Guard of Honour together, before watching a military march past.
The 1st battalion Coldstream Guards is one of the British Amy’s longest serving units.
As well as an operational role, they also undertake a ceremonial role as The Queen’s Guard, protecting the Royal Palaces.
Afterwards Mr and Mrs Trump will join the Queen for tea at the Castle in her private apartments. Given the opulence of their own residences, they are likely to marvel at the surprisingly frugal life the British sovereign leads.
No other members of the Royal Family will be involved in Friday’s visit, something of a surprise compared to the welcome other major political leaders have received.
Tomorrow morning Mr Trump and Mrs May will view a mock counter-terror exercise involving special forces units from both countries.
The joint exercise, at a secret military location, will involve the demonstration of hi-tech equipment used by the SAS and their US counterparts in joint operations.
The two leaders will also meet US officer cadets who are embedded with the UK military for part of their training.
Separately, Melania Trump and Philip May are due to meet military veterans and schoolchildren at an undisclosed location.
Among the firms attending are representatives of Diageo, the drinks company, McClaren and Arup and from the US Blackstone group and BlackRock asset management.
After the special forces exercise tomorrow, the two leaders will travel to Chequers for the summit which will also be attended by Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary.
On the agenda will be Russia, trade, Brexit and the Middle East.
After tea with the Queen the President and his entourage will leave for Scotland, where he is expected to stay on one of his two golf courses.
One of the biggest ever police operations will be staged to cover Mr Trump’s brief stay in the UK.
Nearly every force in England and Wales has contributed officers to help with the massive mobilisation, the biggest since the 2011 riots.
Thousands of officers will be on duty to cover the visit, during which President Trump is expected to visit locations including Blenheim Palace, Chequers, Windsor Castle, the US ambassador’s official residence in Regent’s Park, London, and Scotland.
He arrives after giving NATO leaders a tongue-lashing in Brussels over defence spending and controversial comments about Britain being in ‘turmoil’ as Theresa May’s Brexit vision failed to convince all of her party
Mr Trump (pictured right in Brussels yesterday) said Boris Johnson (pictured left leaving his London home yesterday) was a ‘friend’ and suggested he could meet up with him in the UK
When the Queen meets Mr Trump on Friday he will be the 12th US president she has met out of a possible 13, as she didn’t meet President Johnson.
Yesterday the Mail revealed how Americans in Britain have been warned to ‘keep a low profile’ amid fears of violent demonstrations during the visit.
In an extraordinary alert, the US Embassy urged its citizens to be on their guard around ‘large gatherings that may become violent’ while the President is in the UK.
The unprecedented warning was issued as businesses were told to prepare for protests. They are expected to be the biggest since the Iraq War and organisers claim they could involve hundreds of thousands of people.
The Queen has received three other US Presidents at Windsor Castle since the 1980s – Barack Obama in 2016, George W Bush in 2008 and Ronald Reagan in 1982.
Buckingham Palace has not confirmed how the Trumps will arrive, but it is expected that they will come by helicopter in order to avoid any potential protests on the ground, landing the castle’s grounds and being driven by car to meet the monarch.