US President Donald Trump set to meet The Queen at Windsor Castle
IN PUBLIC, UK sources say Donald Trump’s impending castle date with the Queen will happen in a “colourful” week. In private, however, they’re terrified.
US President Donald Trump is set to meet The Queen in what is shaping up to be another dramatic few days on the international stage.
Mr Trump is believed to be heading to the United Kingdom on July 13, a day after he is scheduled to be in Brussels to meet NATO leaders. The date with the Queen is expected to be at Windsor Castle - where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married - which is closed to the public on that day.
But it is the days leading up to the visit and the ones after that diplomats and UK government figures are worrying about.
Late Thursday it emerged Mr Trump was preparing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at this time - a move many fear shows his disregard for NATO allies and has them again questioning his commitment to Europe.
The Times reported senior British officials were appalled.
“It’s unclear if this meeting is before or after the NATO and the UK visit. Obviously after would be better for us. It adds another dynamic to an already colourful week.”
NATO leaders are expecting that week to be grappling with how to counter what they see as Russian aggression.
Mr Trump has already called for Russia to be allowed back into the G8 - in contrast to the UK which is trying to isolate Moscow over the Salisbury chemical attack.
One source told The Times there was “dismay and alarm” over the planned meeting which would be seen as a “highly negative thing to do”.
“Everyone is perturbed by what is going on and is fearing for the future of the alliance,” another source said.
When he is in the UK, Mr Trump will also meet British Prime Minister Theresa May and reportedly wants to play a round of golf in Scotland.
There are expected to be widespread protests across London, but the President may avoid them by meeting the Queen at Windsor and the Prime Minister at her country retreat Chequers, 65km northwest of London.
In recent days, Mr Trump has blasted European countries and neighbour Canada over what he believes is unfair trading conditions and has slapped big tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The European Union has responded with its own measures targeting US goods.
Mr Trump has also sent a series of tweets targeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel over immigration, at a time she was under immense domestic pressure over the issue.
Mr Trump had been due to visit the UK in February but cancelled the trip amid reports he was concerned about receiving a hostile reception.
“Bad deal,” he said of the embassy, while one of his vocal critics, London mayor Sadiq Khan, said the President had “got the message”.
He claimed he had decided not to fly to Britain because he disapproved of the location of the new US embassy, which he had been scheduled to open.
The US Ambassador to London, Robert Wood Johnson, told Sky News Mr Trump would certainly meet with The Queen even though his visit was not a formal state one.
“Yes, yes, I mean he has to see the head of state. Putting his foot on British soil, it’s job one, it’s very important, very symbolic.
“Meeting Her Majesty is the most important thing, because she’s the head of state, and from then on, it’ll be what the President wants to do.”