When it was revealed that Donald Trump had been invited for a second state visit to the UK in June, it left some political and royal experts across the globe puzzled.
The event, which is now set to take place this week, will make history as the first time a US President has been granted the honor of a second state visit.
Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
But more surprising is that the monarchy extended the invitation despite the President’s long and bumpy history with the British Royal Family.
Just a few months ago, Trump, 79, made a shocking dig at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship.
He branded the former Suits star as ‘terrible’ while confirming he won’t be deporting the Duke of Sussex from the US because ‘he’s got enough problems with his wife.’
Trump seemed particularly bothered by Meghan and Harry’s decision to say goodbye to their royal duties and move to America in 2020, as he has publicly slammed the couple multiple times for ‘betraying’ Queen Elizabeth II over the years, once stating, ‘That is unforgivable.’
But his relationship with the Queen was not without issue. While Trump gushed over how well their meeting went following his first state dinner in 2019, biographer Craig Brown recounted a different story, as an unidentified source claimed she found him to be ‘very rude.’ Trump refuted this claim.
Donald Trump (seen here with the Monarch in 2019) has long and bumpy history with the British Royal Family
Ahead of Trump’s second state visit to the UK, FEMAIL has made a complete timeline to Trump’s relationship with the royals. He’s seen last year with Prince William
Trump’s issues with the royals actually dates back all the way to the 1980s when he was a rising real estate mogul.
At the time, news reports emerged that said King Charles and his then-wife Princess Diana were considering moving into his brand new Trump Tower, something Buckingham Palace denied.
Throughout 1981 to 1983, outlets such as the Associated Press and the Boston Globe reported that the royal couple were planning to buy a $5 million apartment in Trump Tower, but Buckingham Palace later said there was ‘no truth’ to the original report.
Trump was later accused of being behind the rumors as a ploy to bring attention to his growing real estate empire. In his 1987 book Art of the Deal, Trump said he ‘refused to confirm or deny the rumor’ to reporters at the time.
Trump, always one to say what’s on his mind, once made crude comments about Princess Diana in an interview with Howard Stern in 2000, three years after she died.
When asked by Stern if he would have slept with Diana, Trump responded: ‘Without even hesitation. She was truly beautiful and people don’t realize how beautiful.
‘She was crazy, but these are minor details,’ he said of the late royal.
After she split from King Charles, Trump reportedly sent Diana hoards of flowers, but that the Princess was left ‘creeped’ out by his advances, as recalled by her friend Selina Scott in a 2015 column.
After her death in 1997, he confessed that his biggest ‘regret’ was not ‘courting her,’ Scott wrote.
Trump was also one of the first to speak out after intimate topless photos of Kate Middleton were published online.
The pictures, taken while she was sunbathing on a private villa, deeply disturbed the Duchess and her husband, Prince William, who went on to win a legal battle with the publication that posted them; but Trump stated in a series of scathing social media posts that it was Kate’s fault and she should have known better.
Despite the past incidents, King Charles will host Trump at Windsor Castle during his state visit next week between September 17 and 19.
As the world gears up for the historic meeting, FEMAIL has made a complete timeline of Trump’s storied past with the British Royal Family – from which members are on his good side, which ones he seems to dislike, and what the Queen may have really thought of him.
Trump was accused of being behind rumors in the ’80s and ’90s that claimed royals were looking to move into his properties, which he never confirmed or fully denied
Trump (seen in 1983) was accused of being behind rumors in the ’80s and ’90s that claimed various members of the British Royal Family were going to move into his properties. He never confirmed or denied the reports
In 1983, a news report emerged that said Prince Charles and his then-wife Princess Diana (seen in 1983) were looking to buy an apartment in Trump Tower, but the Palace denied it
Trump’s relationship with the royals started off pretty bumpy, as he was accused of being behind rumors in the ’80s and ’90s that claimed various members of the British Royal Family were going to move into his properties.
In 1983, a news report emerged that said Prince Charles and his then-wife Princess Diana were looking to buy an apartment in Trump Tower.
At the time, Trump Tower was gearing up for its grand opening, and the news shined a fierce spotlight onto the building.
‘Prince Charles and his new bride are planning to buy a $5 million, 21-room apartment in a building under construction here, the New York Post said today,’ an Associated Press article from the time read.
‘Buckingham Palace aides met with Donald Trump, developer of the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue at 57th Street, during the prince’s visit to New York last June, the Post said. It quoted unidentified sources as saying that a deal was on.’
Buckingham Palace responded, however, and said there was ‘no truth’ to the report.
A similar instance occurred in 1992, when the New York Post reported that Princess Diana was eyeing property in Trump Tower; the Palace once again denied the rumors.
A similar instance occurred in 1992, when the New York Post reported that Princess Diana was eyeing property in Trump Tower; the Palace once again denied the rumors
Per CNN, multiple biographers have since claimed that the rumors were ‘spread by Trump himself.’
In his 1987 book The Art of the Deal, Trump acknowledged that the news reports helped promote Trump Tower. However, Trump said he never admitted whether or not he was the source of the claim when prompted by a reporter.
‘Our policy was not to comment about sales, and that’s what I told this reporter,’ Trump wrote. ‘In other words, I refused to confirm or deny the rumor.’
‘In the absence of a denial, the story that the royal couple was considering buying an apartment in Trump Tower became front-page news all over the world. It certainly didn’t hurt us, but I had to laugh to myself.’
In 1994, news reports said that both Princess Diana and Prince Charles had ‘separately’ joined Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
Per CNN , multiple biographers have since claimed that the rumors were ‘spread by Trump (seen in 1992) himself’
‘I handled the applications myself,’ Trump allegedly said at the time, per the Times.
‘We have a lot of incredible celebrities, but this is just different,’ the Palm Beach Post also quoted him saying.
But Buckingham Palace shot back, with a spokesperson stating, ‘This story is nonsense absolutely, utterly untrue. Neither of them is a member.
‘This story was concocted by Mr. Trump to secure publicity for his club. It is a matter of regret that he feels he can use the names of the members of the royal family to do so.’
Trump then clarified, saying, per CNN, ‘I wrote to them both offering honorary membership.
‘We haven’t heard any response yet, but Prince Charles has been to Mar-a-Lago, and I know he likes it.’
Trump made crude comments about Princess Diana following her split from King Charles and sent her hoards of followers, which reportedly ‘creeped her out’
Trump (seen in 1992 with Faith Daniels) made a series of crude comments about Princess Diana following her split from King Charles, calling her ‘really hot’ and talking about her weight
When news broke that Prince Charles and Princess Diana had separated in 1992, it sent shockwaves across the globe.
But Trump wasted no time in shooting his shot with the Princess of Wales, as he made a public declaration for Diana on the Howard Stern Show after their split.
‘She is really hot. She has gained 20-25 pounds, she looks great,’ he confessed to Stern about the Princess in 1993.
‘There could be a love interest. I’d become King of England. I’d have to leave, I’d have to lose the New York accent quickly. See, they wouldn’t like my accent over there.’
In 2015, British journalist Selina Scott wrote for the Sunday Times that Trump ‘saw Diana as the ultimate trophy wife’ and sent her hoards of flowers following her separation from Charles.
But according to the former BBC staffer, who said Diana told her about Trump’s advances during a private dinner, she was creeped out by him.
Trump reportedly sent her hoards of followers, but British journalist Selina Scott wrote for the Sunday Times that she was creeped out by it. She’s seen in 1993
‘As the roses and orchids piled up at her apartment she became increasingly concerned about what she should do. It had begun to feel as if Trump was stalking her,’ Selina wrote.
”What am I going to do?’ she asked. ‘He gives me the creeps.’ ‘Just throw them in the bin,’ I advised. Diana laughed.’
In his 1997 book The Art of the Comeback, Trump admitted, ‘I only have one regret in the women department – that I never had the opportunity to court Lady Diana Spencer.
‘I met her on a number of occasions. I couldn’t help but notice how she moved people.
‘She lit up the room with her charm, her presence. She was a genuine princess – a dream lady.’
When Trump was on Stern’s show again a few years later, the talk show host asked the businessman about whether or not he believes he could have slept with Princess Diana if he tried harder.
‘You could’ve nailed her, right?’ asked Stern, to which Trump replied, ‘I think I could’ve.’
But when asked about his past adoration for Diana following backlash to the resurfaced Stern interviews, Trump apparently changed his tune.
‘I read that story that I was calling her. It was so false… I did respect her, but no interest from that standpoint,’ he told Piers Morgan in 2016 in response to rumors he gave Diana ‘the creeps.’
Trump added that Scott’s account was ‘totally false’ but he ‘thought she was lovely’ when the pair met in New York.
Trump blamed Kate after intimate photos of her sunbathing topless were released online
In 2012, a French magazine released intimate photos of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless on the porch of a villa she was staying at with her husband Prince William (seen in 2012)
Trump (seen in 2012) quickly got involved, taking to Twitter to share his thoughts on the situation
‘Kate Middleton is great – but she shouldn’t be sunbathing in the nude – only herself to blame,’ he wrote
‘Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing? Come on Kate!’ he added in another post
In 2012, a French magazine released intimate photos of Kate sunbathing topless on the porch of a villa she was staying at with her husband Prince William in the South of France, and it caused quite the controversy online.
‘Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner,’ a royal spokesperson said at the time.
‘The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to The Duke and Duchess for being so.
‘Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them.’
Trump quickly got involved, taking to then-Twitter to share his thoughts on the situation.
‘Kate Middleton is great – but she shouldn’t be sunbathing in the nude – only herself to blame,’ he wrote.
‘Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing? Come on Kate!’ he added in another post.
The Duke and Duchess were later awarded roughly $100,000 in damages from the publication that shared the images following a trial in 2017.
Meghan Markle branded Trump as ‘misogynistic’ ahead of the 2016 election, and he responded by calling her ‘nasty’
Meghan Markle (seen in 2016) publicly railed against Trump ahead of the election in 2016, branding him as ‘misogynistic’ during an appearance on the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
Meghan Markle publicly railed against Trump ahead of the election in 2016, branding him as ‘misogynistic’ during an appearance on the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.
‘Trump is divisive. In 2012, the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points – that is a huge number, and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it, that’s a huge chunk of it,’ she said.
‘Trump has made it easy to see that you don’t really want that kind of world that he’s painting,’ she added.
She also claimed she wanted to move to Canada, where she lived while filming her show Suits, if he were elected.
In September 2017, months after Trump became President of the United States, his wife, Melania, attended the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, where she met Prince Harry.
According to reports, their meeting was short and sweet. The two allegedly discussed the Invictus Games, which Harry has long been a part of, before posing for photos together.
When asked about Meghan’s comments a few years later in 2019, Trump responded and said, ‘I didn’t know that.
In September 2017, months after Trump became President of the United States, his wife, Melania, attended the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, where she met Prince Harry
When asked about Meghan’s comments a few years later in 2019, Trump responded and said , ‘I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty’
‘What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty. I didn’t know that. I hope she is OK.’
He added of her joining the royal family, ‘It is nice, and I am sure she will do excellently. She will be very good. I hope she does [succeed].’
Trump later clarified, ‘I wasn’t referring to her as ‘she’s nasty’ – I said she was nasty about me.
‘And essentially, I didn’t know she was nasty about me. So, I said, ‘But you know what, she’s doing a good job, I hope she enjoys her life.”
However, during an interview with Nigel Farage in 2021, Trump shared a different view of Meghan, stating that he was ‘not a fan of hers.’
‘I wasn’t from day one. Harry has been used horribly and I think some day he will regret it,’ he scathed.
‘I think he has been used and used terribly. It has ruined his relationship with the family. And it hurt the queen. She [Meghan] is trying to do things that I think are very inappropriate.’
Trump had tea with the Queen in 2018, followed by a state visit a year later – but was slammed for making multiple royal protocol gaffes during their meetings
Donald and Melania traveled to the UK in July 2018, where they sat down with Queen Elizabeth II for tea at Windsor Castle
But their meetup sparked a slew of backlash for the politician after he made a major royal protocol gaffe by walking in front of the monarch as they inspected a guard of honor
Donald and Melania traveled to the UK in July 2018, where they sat down with Queen Elizabeth II for tea at Windsor Castle.
But their meetup sparked much backlash for the politician after he made a royal protocol gaffe by walking in front of the monarch as they inspected a guard of honor, as seen in videos from the event.
His move even prompted the Queen to instruct him on how to walk during Inspection of the Guard. As Trump walked in front of her, he quickly stopped, which cut off the Queen’s path and forced her to sidestep around him.
Even so, Trump insisted it went well afterwards, saying, ‘It was supposed to last 15 minutes but it lasted like an hour because we got along. And she liked our first lady and our first lady liked her.
‘But we got along fantastically well. But the time went by – you know, sometimes you get along and the time goes by.’
Trump returned a year later when he was afforded all the trappings of a state visit, including a formal banquet at Buckingham Palace.
‘Visits by American Presidents always remind us of the close and longstanding friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States, and 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 at the event.
Trump returned a year later when he was afforded all the trappings of a state visit, including a formal banquet at Buckingham Palace
But even then he managed to upset some British etiquette experts by putting his hand on her back as she stood for the national anthem and then moving to clink glasses with the Queen
The President and First Lady visited the Queen again in December 2019 for the 70th anniversary of the NATO cooperation
‘Mr. President, as we look to the future, I am confident that our common values and shared interests will continue to unite us.
‘Tonight, we celebrate an alliance that has helped to ensure the safety and prosperity of both our peoples for decades, and which I believe will endure for many years to come.’
But even then he managed to upset some British etiquette experts by putting his hand on her back as she stood for the national anthem and then moving to clink glasses with the Queen.
‘I sat next to her and we talked the whole night. And somebody said, ‘We’ve never seen her smile so much,” Trump said of the visit afterwards.
‘We had a great time. She was laughing and smiling. They said they’ve never seen her have such a good time at a state dinner. Normally they’re a little boring. This wasn’t boring.’
The President and First Lady visited the Queen again in December 2019 for the 70th anniversary of the NATO cooperation.
Trump posted a moving tribute to the queen after her death in September 2022
Following the Queen’s tragic death in September 2022, Trump issued a statement in which he gushed over her ‘historic and remarkable reign.’ They’re seen together in 2019
Following the Queen’s tragic death in September 2022, Trump issued a statement in which he gushed over her ‘historic and remarkable reign.’
‘Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,’ he wrote.
‘Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of great sorrow and grief.
‘Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain.
‘Her leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries around the world.’
He added that she would be remembered for ‘her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women.’
‘Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor,’ he continued.
‘What a grand and beautiful lady she was – there was nobody like her! May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care.’
He concluded with a message to King Charles and his wife Camilla, writing, ‘Good luck and best wishes to the wonderful new King and Queen of the United Kingdom.
‘You are two very special people. May your reign be a long and glorious one. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!!!’
King Charles sent Trump a private message following the July 2024 assassination attempt against him
Trump was left bloodied and wounded when a bullet pierced the ‘upper part’ of his right ear while he was giving a speech in Pennsylvania in September 2024
In the aftermath of the shocking assassination attempt, Buckingham Palace said King Charles sent him a private message via the UK Embassy in Washington, D.C.
In the aftermath of the shocking assassination attempt against Trump in July 2024, Buckingham Palace said King Charles sent him a private message via the UK Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Trump was left bloodied and wounded when a bullet pierced the ‘upper part’ of his right ear while he was giving a speech in Pennsylvania.
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired at least eight bullets from an ‘AR-style rifle’ at the 45th US President from a rooftop just 130 yards away from where Trump was stood.
One spectator was killed in the attack – former fire chief Corey Comperatore – while two others were seriously wounded.
Crooks, a registered Republican, was killed by a US Secret Service sniper.
A biographer claimed in a tome released in August 2024 that the Queen thought Trump was ‘very rude,’ which Trump disputed
While Trump said his meeting with the Queen went well, author Craig Brown said in his biography released in 2024 that the Queen found Trump ‘very rude.’ They’re seen in 2019
Afterwards, Trump shut these claims down, telling the Daily Mail , ‘I heard I was her favorite president.’ The Queen is seen in 2015
While Trump said his meeting with the Queen went well, a biography released in August 2024, called A Voyage Around The Queen, told very a different story.
Author Craig Brown claimed that the Queen found Trump ‘very rude.’
‘A few weeks after President Trump’s visit, she confided in one lunch guest that she found him ‘very rude,'” Craig wrote.
‘She particularly disliked the way he couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder, as though in search of others more interesting.’
Afterwards, Trump shut down these claims, telling the Daily Mail, ‘I heard I was her favorite president.
‘[Craig’s claims] were totally false. I have no idea who the writer is, but it was really just the opposite. I had a great relationship with the queen. She liked me and I liked her.
‘We spent hours together at a state dinner. She was a fantastic woman. I think it’s a shame that a sleaze bag can write an article that is totally false.’
Melania revealed that she’s secret pen pals with King Charles in her 2024 memoir
In her 2024 memoir, the First Lady revealed that she had been secretly exchanging letters with King Charles, explaining they became pen pals following their meeting in 2019
In her 2024 memoir, entitled Melania, the First Lady shared some fresh insight into her and Trump’s relationship with the royals.
She revealed that she had been secretly exchanging letters with King Charles, explaining they became pen pals following their meeting in 2019.
‘The evening’s state banquet was a formal and elegant affair. I was seated next to Prince Charles, and it was an absolute pleasure to reconnect with him,’ she wrote in the tome.
‘Our paths had crossed many years ago in New York City. This time we engaged in an interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation.’
She added, ‘Sadly, Her Majesty wasn’t able to visit us again before her death in 2022, but our friendship with the Royal Family continues, and we exchange letters with King Charles to this day.’
Trump couldn’t stop gushing over Prince William and his ‘handsome’ looks after the two met up at an event in Paris in December 2024
Trump crossed paths with Prince William at the re-opening of the Notre-Dame in Paris, France, in December 2024
They later met at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris, where Trump praised Prince William for being a ‘good man’ and for ‘doing a fantastic job’
Trump crossed paths with Prince William at the re-opening of the Notre-Dame in Paris, France, in December 2024.
The two were all smiles as they were seen sharing in a warm and firm handshake at the event.
They later met at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris, where Trump praised Prince William for being a ‘good man’ and for ‘doing a fantastic job.’
‘Good man, this one,’ Trump said to reporters. ‘He’s doing a fantastic job.’
During their 40-minute meeting, the pair discussed a range of global issues but focused on the importance of the relationship between the UK and the US, with the President-elect sharing fond memories of the late Queen, Kensington Palace said.
Afterwards, Trump couldn’t stop gushing over Prince William.
‘I had a great talk with the prince. He’s a good-looking guy… He looked really very handsome last night,’ he told the New York Post.
‘Some people look better in person. He looked great. He looked really nice, and I told him that.’
Trump announced in February that he won’t deport Prince Harry but took another brutal swipe at his wife Meghan
Ahead of the election in 2024, Trump said he would not ‘protect’ Prince Harry amidst a legal battle over his immigration status, adding, ‘He betrayed the queen. That is unforgivable’
In February, however, Trump announced that he had no plans to deport Prince Harry from the US, stating, ‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible’
Ahead of the election in 2024, Trump said he would not ‘protect’ Prince Harry amidst a legal battle over his immigration status.
‘I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the queen. That is unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me,’ he told Daily Express US in February 2024.
Earlier this year, however, Trump announced that he had no plans to deport Prince Harry from the US – but took a swipe at his wife Meghan in the process.
‘I don’t want to do that,’ Trump explained to the New York Post, when asked if he would make Prince Harry move out of California.
‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.’
He said he believed Harry was ‘whipped’ by Meghan, adding, ‘I think poor Harry is being led around by the nose.’
