US President Donald Trump has arrived for his first official state visit to the UK, with a full agenda of events planned, including meetings with both the Queen and Prince Charles, and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. But while he will be visiting the royal residence with his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, the President will break with tradition by staying somewhere else during his time in London.
While Her Majesty typically hosts guests at Buckingham Palace during their state visits - and has accommodated former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama in recent years - President Trump will instead be staying at nearby Winfield House, the US Ambassador’s residence.
© Photo: PAPresident Trump won't be staying with the Queen at Buckingham Palace
The move doesn’t appear to be a snub; the reason for the displacement is due to renovation works that are currently being carried out at the palace. Extensive and ongoing work within the monarch’s London residence mean it is not possible for Donald, Melania and their staff to stay at the palace overnight.
GALLERY: See the latest updates from Donald Trump's state visit to the UK
Instead, Winfield House will offer Donald and his family a luxurious base that will allow them some degree of privacy away from the public eye and the protestors who are taking to the streets during the state visit. The President will still attend a number of events at Buckingham Palace during his two-day state visit, including a ceremonial welcome, private lunch, and state banquet which will be hosted by the Queen.
President Trump and the First Lady arrived in London on Monday morning. Shortly ahead of arriving in the UK, Donald caused a stir on Twitter by criticising the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, writing: "@SadiqKhan, who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly 'nasty' to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me. Kahn reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job - only half his height. In any event, I look forward to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much forward to my visit. Landing now!"
A spokesperson for Sadiq responded: "This is much more serious than childish insults which should be beneath the President of the United States."
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