President Donald Trump was greeted by royalty, military honor guards and mounted troops in red and gold as he arrived at Windsor Castle on Wednesday for the start of a two-day state visit to Britain as the guest of King Charles III Prince William and his wife Catherine met the president’s Marine One helicopter as it landed in the private Walled Garden on the vast castle estate, walking the president and first lady Melania Trump over to be greeted by the king and Queen Camilla. The guests traveled to the castle in a procession of horse-drawn carriages, past ranks of soldiers, sailors and aviators, as military bands played the U.S. and British national anthems. The king and president chatted in the Irish State Coach during the short journey. The day of royal pageantry on the president’s unprecedented second state visit to Britain is, the British hosts stressed, on an unprecedented scale. It includes some 120 horses and 1,300 troops, including the largest guard of honor in living memory. It’s a spectacle with a purpose: to bolster ties with a world leader known for a love of bling at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements globally. Trump arrived in London late Tuesday and said he loved being back in the United Kingdom, calling it a “very special place.” Asked if he had a message for Charles, he said the king was a longtime friend of his and well-respected. The backdrop for day one is Windsor Castle, an almost 1,000-year-old royal residence with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks. A gigantic royal standard, the flag used for official celebration days, flew from the castle’s Royal Tower as the king and queen prepared for the Trumps to arrive by helicopter from London, where they spent Tuesday night at the U.S. ambassador’s residence. The prospect of a visit to the castle has seemed to enchant Trump, who ditched his trademark bluster and described the invitation as “a great, great honor.” “I think that also is why he seems so visibly excited about the second meeting, because it isn’t an invitation given to (just) anyone,” said George Gross, an expert on the British monarchy at King’s College London. From pomp to politics After a day of royal pomp, Trump will hold talks Thursday with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will tout a new U.K.-U.S. technology deal. The British government hopes the deal, and billions in investment from U.S. tech firms, will help show that the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO. Starmer also hopes to avoid awkward questions about Jeffrey Epstein. Days before the state visit, Starmer fired Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, over the envoy’s past friendship with him. On Tuesday, the campaign group Led By Donkeys projected an image of Trump and Epstein on a tower at Windsor Castle, a reminder of the president’s relationship with the disgraced financier. Police said they arrested four people over the stunt. While Britain’s royals long ago gave up political power, their history, tradition and celebrity give them a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet an invitation to join them. That makes the invitations, handed out at the request of the elected government, a powerful tool to reward friends and wring concessions out of reluctant allies. State banquet […]  | Read More The Yeshiva World