The United States of America and the United Kingdom are eternally linked by “transcendent” bonds and “together we have done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history”, President Donald said in his speech at the royal state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were the guests of honour at a special banquet in the grand St George’s Hall at the 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Before enjoying the meal, the host King Charles III made a speech and gave a toast to the President, and President Trump reciprocated.
In remarks that so glowed with praise for Britain and the English speaking peoples that its like would be simply unimaginable coming from a modern British leader, President Trump said in his reply that the two countries are linked by “eternal” bonds as a force for good in the world.
President Trump began by thanking his hosts for his day at Windsor Castle, telling the Royals: “Melania and I are deeply grateful to you and Queen Camilla, for your extraordinary graciousness, and to William and Kate, thank you so much… this is truly one of the highest honours of my life, such respect for you, and such respect for your country”.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the State Banquet at Windsor Castle for the State visit by the President of the United States of America on September 17, 2025 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Phil Noble – Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Speaking of the achievements of Britain and America together, President Trump told the 160 guests sitting around the specially constructed 50-yard-long dining table:
…a fifth of all humanity speaks, writes, thinks and prays in the language born in these isles and perfected in the pages of Shakespeare, Dickens, Tolkien, Lewis, Orwell, and Kipling… the lion-hearted people of this kingdom defeated Napoleon, unleashed the industrial revolution, destroyed slavery, and defended freedom in the darkest days of Communist and Fascism.
The British people gave the world the Magna Carta, the modern parliament, the scientific method… The British Empire laid the foundations of law, liberty, free speech and individual rights virtually everywhere the Union Jack has ever flown, including a place called America.
On the special relationship between the two nations, President Trump continued:
…the word special does not begin to do it justice. We are joined by history and fate, by love and language, and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny. We are like two notes in one quart, two verses of the same poem. Each beautiful on its own but really meant to be played together.
The bond of kindship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal, it is irreplaceable and unbreakable… together we have done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history. Together we must defend the exceptional heritage that makes us who we are and we must continue to stand for the values of the people of the English speaking world.
President Trump’s speech and toast was a reply to the King’s, which was given in honour of America and the visiting Presidential couple. King Charles III hailed “this unique and important occasion” and raised a series of laughs from President Trump with some gentle jokes.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: King Charles III, along with the Catherine, Princess of Wales, applaud President Donald Trump after his speech during the State Banquet at Windsor Castle for the State visit by the President of the United States of America on September 17, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Trump is in England from Sept. 16-18 on his second UK state visit, with the previous one taking place in 2019 during his first presidential term. (Photo by Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
American business executive Michael Boulos (L) Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, US President Donald Trump and Britain’s King Charles (R) III raise their glasses during a State Banquet at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on September 17, 2025, during the US President’s second State Visit. US President Donald Trump arrived in Britain for an unprecedented second State Visit, with the UK government rolling out a royal red carpet welcome to win over the mercurial leader. (Photo by Doug Mills / POOL / AFP) (Photo by DOUG MILLS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The King said, to President Trump’s evident pleasure:
… Mr President, as we approach the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence it is remarkable to think just how far we have come. I cannot help but wonder what our forebears from 1776 would make of this friendship today… the ocean may still divide us, but in so many other ways we are now the closest of kin…
Mr President you have spoken of your pride in your British roots. In fact not only have you set foot on British soil twice in the past two months alone, but I understand that British soil makes for rather splendid gold courses.
Raising a toast, the King hailed President Trump and Melania, and added that he toasted to: “the health, prosperity, and happiness of the people of the United States of America”.
Images of the menu for Wednesday night’s meal reveals the guests dined on a panna cotta with shortbread and a quail egg salad to start, followed by a chicken ballotine with courgettes, and finished by vanilla ice cream with a raspberry sorbet and poached plums. As reported by the BBC, although President Trump will not partake in the alcoholic drinks they have been selected in his honour including a 1945 port for the 45th President, and a 1912 cognac for Trump’s 1912-born Scottish mother.
President Trump and First Lady Melania will sleep at Windsor Castle as guests of the King tonight, before travelling for political meetings with the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday. The President will return to Washington D.C. on Air Force One on Thursday night.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales arrive for the State Banquet hosted by King Charles III and members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle during the state visit by the President of the United States of America on September 17, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Trump is in England from Sept. 16-18 on his second UK state visit, with the previous one taking place in 2019 during his first presidential term. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: A view of guests during the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the second state visit to the UK by US President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump on September 17, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Trump is in England from Sept. 16-18 on his second UK state visit, with the previous one taking place in 2019 during his first presidential term. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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