This week, Donald Trump will be treated to a red-carpet welcome during his unprecedented second state visit to the UK, as Britain relies on royal pomp and ceremony to win over the unpredictable American president.

From a flypast and carriage ride with King Charles III to a grand state banquet at historic Windsor Castle, Britain is pulling out all the stops to flatter Trump, who has long been captivated by the monarchy.

The goal is for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to maintain Trump's goodwill when they meet at the British leader's provincial residence for talks focused on trade, tariffs, and the war in Ukraine.

Trump will also be kept away from crowds and protesters, with all events taking place outside London, where a large demonstration against the 79-year-old Republican is planned.

Labour leader Starmer is not a natural partner for the right-wing Trump, but he has been working hard to win him over since the US president returned to the White House in January.

"This is really something special, it's never happened before, it's unprecedented," Starmer said as he personally delivered a letter from the king to Trump in the Oval Office in February, inviting him on a state visit.

Accepting the invitation, Trump told Starmer that Charles — who is currently undergoing cancer treatment — is a "great, great gentleman."

- Royal glamour -

The move was designed to highlight Trump's well-documented love of the British royal family (his mother is Scottish) and his fondness for lavish celebrations.

Trump has often praised his previous state visit during his first term in 2019, when he met Queen Elizabeth II. He will become the first US president to be honored with a second state visit.

But as Trump turns the world upside down like never before, this time the visit is even more important for the UK, which has long valued its so-called special relationship with Washington.

The heir to the throne, Prince William, and Princess Catherine will kick off the ceremony with a formal visit to Trump and his wife Melania in Windsor on Wednesday.

After that, King Charles and Queen Camilla will host a royal carriage procession, a military ceremony, and a flypast by military aircraft for the Trump family during the day, followed by a state banquet in the evening.

Trump will also pay his respects at the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022.

Politics will take center stage on Thursday, with Starmer seeking to capitalize on the fact that Britain is one of the first countries to secure a trade deal with the US and avoid the worst of Trump's tariffs.

Trump, accompanied by a delegation of American business leaders, will head to the prime minister's country residence, where they are expected to sign what British officials are calling a "world-leading technology partnership" and a "major deal in civil nuclear energy."

Ukraine will also be a key topic. Starmer is one of many European leaders urging Trump to continue supporting Kiev, despite the Republican's apparent shift toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

- Melania and Catherine -

First Lady Melania Trump, who makes rare public appearances, will have her own program on Thursday.

She will visit Queen Mary's Dolls' House in Windsor with Camilla and attend a Scout event with Catherine, who has returned to the spotlight in recent months after battling cancer.

Despite the pomp and circumstance, tensions will be simmering in the background.

The White House said Trump will emphasize "how important it is for the prime minister to defend freedom of speech in the UK" — a key theme that Trump's former ally Elon Musk raised in a speech at a far-right rally in the UK over the weekend.

Another awkward moment is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which is haunting Trump at home.

Sturmer was forced last week to fire Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador to Washington, because of his friendship with the disgraced sex offender. I AFP, BGNES