A message from Queen Victoria to the 15th President of the United States was shown to the 45th and 47th President as Donald Trump made his historic State Visit to the UK.
As is traditional on State Visits, items from the Royal Collection that underline the relationship between the two countries involved are shown to guests after lunch at the start of the event. And one of the items was very special.
President Trump was shown a tickertape message sent by Queen Victoria to James Buchanan in 1858, soon after underseas cables had been laid between Ireland and Newfoundland, allowing speedier transatlantic communication.
Victoria wrote to President Buchanan about the relationship between their two nations ”founded upon their common interest and reciprocal esteem.”
It was one of a number of historic items on show.
The US President, who has often spoken of his admiration for Queen Elizabeth II, was shown a letter sent to her when she was still heir to the throne. It was written by her mother, Queen Elizabeth, as she and King George VI made a visit to the US in 1939.
In it, Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, talks excitedly of a picnic she had during a stay with President Roosevelt. It’s not clear whether she was impressed or not, but she told her daughter that she had had all her food ”on one plate…..and HOT DOGS, too!!”
The letter was addressed to ”my darling Lilibet”, the pet name by which the late Queen Elizabeth II was always known to her nearest and dearest.
The tour of items from the Royal Collection came after a lunch at Windsor Castle during the official welcome for President Trump and the US First Lady, Melania Trump.
The couple had arrived at Windsor by helicopter with the Prince and Princess of Wales meeting them as they stepped on to the lawn. William and Kate walked over to the little know Victoria House with them where they were welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
A carriage procession then followed with Donald Trump joining King Charles in the Irish State Coach, usually only used by the Monarch and their consort.
Queen Camilla and Melania Trump followed in the Scottish State Coach with the Prince and Princess of Wales in a semi-state landau behind them.
At Windsor Castle, a military parade took place on the Quadrangle with Donald Trump inspecting a Guard of Honour.
The first day also saw the US leader pay a visit to St. George’s Chapel to spend time at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II. He was given a tour of the chapel and a recital of choral music was put on in his honour.
There was also an unprecedented Beating the Retreat ceremony laid on followed by a flypast featuring the Red Arrows. It’s highly unusual for a State Visit and shows just how much is being done for President Trump.
The first day will conclude with a State Banquet at Windsor Castle.
