Trump State Visit

[MrsLeonFarrell]

A space for thoughts.

My first is that being at Windsor might make it easier to host a foreign leader. Which then begs the question as to whether in the modern age we really need Buckingham Palace. None of the royals like living there and I bet you'd make a fortune hiring it out for events and tourists.

Whilst i find Catherine's coat dresses a little boring it makes sense to have a sort of uniform.

It's a bit too Sainsbury's banana tape packaging.

I think Kate looks stunning, it’s an absolutely perfect dress for the type of event, it’s modest,elegant and regal, she outshines everyone there.

Who else is there? I assumed a load of old men!

You'd think with all that money they'd look fabulous..but they all look haggard and unhappy

You'd be mostly right - Rupert Murdoch is there and a load of tech 'bros' - I thought Jemima Kahn was reported as going - I'd be interested in seeing her dress.

Mel's yellow dress is clashing with Trump's orange face

Poor Kate has to sit next to Trump

Do you mean Kate and Wills too?

Poor Kate has to sit next to Trump

Maybe that's why she is looking stressed!

Watercress salad, chicken and ice cream don't seem very banquet-like. They could at least have had baked Alaska in tribute to Trump's oil field aspirations in the arctic.

They definitely have. They presented the biggest military parade ever at a state visit for one thing.

At the funeral I thought Kate and William looked like they hadn’t slept.

I dip into the royal threads from time to time but never post on them. As I have got older I have really come to respect the 'soft power' that maintaining the Royal Family affords us. I studied politics, continue to be interested and work in an area where social policy and international relations is important. I would never consider myself a royalist but increasingly respect the role key members play and the late queen and the king certainly seem very adept at side-stepping contentious issue and being incredibly diplomatic when necessary.

Yes I think Kate looks haggard and exhausted.

They definitely have. They presented the biggest military parade ever at a state visit for one thing.

I’d guess that Starmer and his ministers don’t like Trump so there must be a good reason why they have laid on such an elaborate visit though I don’t know what the reason is.

I was confused that they were met by Wills and Kate and THEN had a procession to the Castle.

Where did they meet, Wetherspoons??

Just in another part of the Windsor estate - Charles basically took Trump for a carriage ride around his garden.

She's a multi millionaire with or without him though. She sneers at him, refuses any affection and she clearly shows contempt for him.

US UK $42 billion tech deal. That's also why all the tech CEOs are at the banquet.

Maybe he knows something that she doesn't want shared?

US UK $42 billion tech deal. That's also why all the tech CEOs are at the banquet.

Ok, well that sounds a good reason.

Yes - even at small dinner parties the tradition/etiquette is to seat spouses separately. My MIL still does it even if there's only family there.

It's because you are supposed to be making interesting conversation with your seat neighbours and most people have already heard all their spouse's 'conversation'.

Michael Wolff, the writer who spent years in the midst of the White House wrote in his book that Melania and Trump are fully separated, and the relationship is entirely transactional, and that Melania is utterly transactional herself. She secures millions of $$ and he gets her next to him at big events for the optics.

She is widely reported to have had a boyfriend called Hank Siemers - a right wing security guard - for years.

She was also allegedly part of Epstein’s gang and chosen by him at a young age when a young model, before he introduced her to Trump. Horrible. But she’s had opportunities to escape since then.

I’ve never seen this level of pageantry for other world leaders, let alone twice. It’s puzzling

Not really is it? I mean it makes me feel sick but it’s clear to everybody why they’re doing it.

Multimillion pound AI deal that will be terrible for the environment.