Trump UK visit: President has state banquet with Queen as Labour announces Corbyn will speak at protest
US leader an ‘egregious example of growing far-right threat’, says Sadiq Khan after Twitter spat
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Protesters have denounced Donald Trump as “frightening and dangerous” and claimed his state visit is “an invitation for his ideology to be imported” to the UK, during a dramatic first day of the US president's second state visit to the country.
During a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II greeted the president, and reminded those in attendance of the "close and longstanding friendship" between their two countries — and appeared to rebuke Mr Trump's so-called America-first ideology that has threatened once close alliances and shaken the international community.
"I am so glad that we have another opportunity to demonstrate the immense importance that both our countries attach to our relationship," the Queen said.
The itinerary for Mr Trump going forward includes meetings with business leaders, a tour of historic British buildings, and trips to Portsmouth and Normandy — with the latter coming on the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The Queen, during her remarks, used that historic moment in the Second World War to reinforce the importance of the US-UK relationship.
Every outfit Melania Trump has worn for the UK state visit
Show all 15"On that day — and on many occasions since — the armed forces of both our countries fought side-by-side to defend our cherished values of liberty and democracy," she said.
"As we face the new challenges of the 21st Century, the anniversary of D-Day reminds us of all that our counties have achieved together," she continued, addressing the kinds of international coooperation in the post war years that Mr Trump appears to have disregarded as president. "After the shared sacrifices of the Second World War, Britain and the United States worked with other allies to build an assembly of international institutions to ensure that the horrors of conflict would never be repeated."
But, nearby in London, protesters denounced the president who had lashed out at mayor Sadiq Khaan as his trip loomed.
“It’s one thing to tolerate it, it is something else to promote it,” 46-year-old Hada Moreno told The Independent outside Buckingham Palace of Mr Trump's ideological stance.
But the US president’s backers were also present, calling him “a hero”. One said: “After Brexit we will need him for trade as well as security.” It came after Mr Trump lashed out at London’s mayor on Twitter, branding him “terrible” and a “stone-cold loser”.
Mr Trump and his wife Melania dined with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The pair were met by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and will also take a tour of Westminster Abbey. Observers were curious as to how the Prince of Wales, a keen environmentalist, would get along with the fossil fuel-loving president.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
It seems plenty of people are waiting around Parliament Square for Mr Trump to arrive at Westminster Abbey, writes Tom Batchelor.
One even had a mini-blimp balloon to welcome him with.
Dolores Crittendon, 62, of Chichester, said: "We never had any interest in politics until Trump was elected, and then we had a feeling something bad was going to happen.
"Inviting him to London is disgraceful - I liked Theresa May but this is the second time he’s been invited. He won’t give us a trade deal, and if he does it will be a bad one."
Dolores Crittenden's mini-Trump (Tom Batchelor/The Independent)
This is an interesting detail from The Sun's royal correspondent Emily Andrews.
It follows Mr Trump's comments calling the Duchess of Sussex "nasty" in an interview with the same paper.
Now that Donald Trump has arrived in the UK, many will undoubtedly be wondering how the US president will fare while spending time with Her Majesty the Queen, writes Sabrina Barr.
The Queen has made the acquaintance of almost every acting US president since 1945, starting with Harry Truman whom she met while visiting Washington, DC as a princess in 1951.
There are number of rules that Trump is expected to follow when greeting the reigning British monarch, some of which are more regimented than others.
The Trumps have laid the wreath at Westminster Abbey in remembrance of people who have given their lives in war.
The Queen's official gifts to Mr Trump were a first edition of The Second World War by Winston Churchill from 1959.
The crimson book features gold tooled decoration on the cover, spine and inner cover, an EIIR cypher in gold on the front, silk endpapers and hand-sewn headbands in colours of the US flag with all pages edged in gilt.
The monarch also gave Mr Trump a three-piece Duofold pen set - a fountain pen, rollerball pen and ball point pen with EIIR cypher - using the obsidian design, exclusively made for the Queen.
Melania Trump was presented with a specially commissioned silver box with a handcrafted enamel lid. Its royal blue decoration featured roses, thistles and shamrocks to represent the ceiling of the palace music room.
PA
The Trumps at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, with Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
A little detail here from the Washington Examiner's White House correspondent.
Mr Trump's visit is not fair on the royal family, says one protester in Parliament Square, writes Tom Batchelor.
Irene, from Christchurch, said: "I don’t think it’s fair that the royal family should bend over backwards for him.
"I wouldn’t expect them to meet him joyfully. He thinks his own family are the royal family of America.
"Everybody has got to stand up and tell Trump his behaviour is unacceptable."
An anti-Trump protester in Parliament Square (Tom Batchelor/The Independent)
Among the items the Queen showed Mr Trump at the palace picture gallery were a display of golfing memorabilia and a draft copy of a telegram from George VI to US General Dwight Eisenhower after the D-Day invasion of France.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies