Donald Trump appeared to take a veiled double swipe at Prince Harry during his state banquet speech as he lavished praise on Prince William and King Charles III.
The US President spoke highly of the Prince of Wales, describing him as the King’s ‘remarkable son’ and ‘really amazing’ – with no mention of his brother Harry.
Mr Trump said last night: ‘I just want to say that His Majesty has also raised a remarkable son in His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales. Really amazing. We’ve gotten to know you and I think you’re going to have an unbelievable success in future.
‘Melania and I are delighted to visit again with Prince William and to see Her Royal Highness, Princess Catherine, so radiant and so healthy, so beautiful.’
Mr Trump also claimed the King had helped wounded veterans ‘like nobody else’ during the glittering dinner at Windsor Castle for his second historic state visit.
This is despite former Army captain Harry having had huge success and impact by founding the Invictus Games – a sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans, which takes place every two years – in 2014.
Just last week the Duke of Sussex was in Ukraine for talks on improving support for serving personnel and veterans with life-changing injuries who are returning home.
But the 47th American president said yesterday evening of the King: ‘He has uplifted the poor, cared for rural farmers, and tended to wounded veterans like nobody else.’
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The US President spoke highly of the Prince of Wales, describing him as the King’s ‘remarkable son’ and ‘really amazing’ – with no mention of his brother Harry
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Donald and Melania Trump say farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle this morning
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Donald Trump gestures next to King Charles III before leaving Windsor Castle this morning
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Melania Trump and Queen Camilla pose as they tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle today during the state visit by the President and First Lady
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King Charles III speaks with US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle this morning
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Camilla and Melania Trump inspect a tiny book as they tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House today
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Donald Trump meets Sir Keir and Lady Victoria Starmer at Chequers in Buckinghamshire today
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Donald Trump arrives to meet Sir Keir Starmer at Chequers in Buckinghamshire this morning
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Donald Trump is greeted at Chequers in Buckinghamshire this morning by Sir Keir Starmer
Mr Trump has previously been publicly critical of Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, accusing them of treating the late Queen Elizabeth II ‘very disrespectfully’.
He lambasted the King’s younger son and Meghan, accusing them of treating the late Queen ‘very disrespectfully’.
But at the start of February, he ruled out trying to deport Harry after it was alleged that drug use referenced in his memoir Spare could have disqualified him from a US visa.
Mr Trump said of the King’s younger son: ‘I’ll leave him alone’, adding: ‘He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.’
Meghan previously labelled Mr Trump ‘divisive’ and a ‘misogynist’.
Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals and are thousands of miles away at their home in California while Mr Trump visits the UK.
The Duke had been on a solo trip to Britain last week where he attended a series of events linked to charities including WellChild and Children In Need, as well as his Invictus Games Foundation – then went home via Ukraine, well before the Trumps arrived.
In last night’s speech, Mr Trump also told the guests gathered in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall: ‘Seen from American eyes the word special does not begin to do it justice.’
He went on to say: ‘We’re joined by history and faith, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny.
‘We’re like two notes in one chord or two verses of the same poem, each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together. The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal.’
A series of welcomes, poignant moments and spectacular ceremonial displays were held for the president and First Lady Melania Trump during the opening day of the state visit as the Royal Family used its ‘soft diplomacy’ to strengthen the UK’s ties with one of its most enduring allies.
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Donald and Melania Trump say farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle this morning
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Camilla and Melania Trump inspect a tiny book as they tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House today
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King Charles III bids farewell to US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle this morning
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US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stand next to King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they bid their farewells while they depart Windsor Castle this morning
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King Charles III bids farewell to US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle this morning
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President Donald Trump leaves Windsor Castle to head to Chequers today during the state visit
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US President Donald Trump leaves Windsor Castle today after being hosted by King Charles III
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Melania Trump and Queen Camilla pose as they tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle today during the state visit by the President and First Lady
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King Charles III bids farewell to US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle this morning
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‘The Beast’, carrying US President Donald Trump, is driven away from Windsor Castle today
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Donald and Melania Trump say farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle this morning
William and Kate were deployed at the start of the royal charm offensive to greet the Trumps first when they arrived at Windsor Castle by helicopter.
And around 1,500 troops in total were involved in ceremonial military events throughout the day – almost double those on duty for the recent state visit of France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
The US leader had an affinity with Queen Elizabeth II, who hosted his first state visit, and during the afternoon he laid a wreath at her tomb in the castle’s St George’s Chapel joined by the First Lady.
In his speech Mr Trump described his second state visit to the UK as a ‘singular privilege’ adding later ‘but this is truly one of the highest honours of my life, such respect for you and such respect for your country’.
The President’s words were echoed by Charles who spoke of the ‘enduring bond between our two great nations’ that has been ‘long called ‘special” and went on to describe how it grew from two sworn enemies fighting against each other in the American Revolutionary War.
‘Today, however, we celebrate a relationship between our two countries that surely neither Washington nor King George III could possibly have imagined.
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US President Donald Trump delivers his speech last night as King Charles III and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet at Windsor Castle for his state visit
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Donald Trump and Melania Trump at Windsor Castle last night
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The state banquet was hosted by King Charles III and members of the Royal Family last night
‘The ocean may still divide us, but in so many ways we are now the closest of kin.’
Today, Mr Trump bid a formal farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle after spending the night in the 1,000-year-old royal residence.
The couple said their goodbyes to the monarch and Camilla in the castle’s grand Green Corridor this morning before Mr Trump headed to the Prime Minister’s country residence Chequers, ready to turn his attention to politics.
The four posed for a joint photograph together in the atmospheric corridor which is lined with gilt edged historic paintings and antique furniture.
Outside at the sovereign’s entrance, the King said a solo goodbye with Mr Trump shaking his hands warmly and placing his other hand on top. The president said ‘Thank you very much, everybody. He’s a great gentleman and a great King’.
The Windsor Castle detachment of The King’s Guard turned out in the Quadrangle outside to mark Mr Trump’s departure.
Although Melania attended the official parting of ways, she is in fact staying behind to carry out joint engagements, first with Camilla, and then the Princess of Wales.
She was joining the Queen for a tour of Queen Mary’s Doll’s House and the Royal Library in Windsor Castle.
Sir Keir Starmer later welcomed Donald Trump to Chequers after he flew from Windsor by helicopter, landing in the grounds of the house before being driven to the front door.
He was greeted by an honour guard of RAF personnel from nearby RAF Halton and two RAF bagpipers.
Sir Keir and Lady Starmer shook hands with Mr Trump and posed for photographs before going inside.
