British royal family shows 'welcoming diplomacy' with President Trump

Hoàng gia Anh thể hiện ngoại giao ẩm thực qua tiệc chiêu đãi Tổng thống Trump

A State banquet is being prepared for US President Donald Trump's visit to the UK. (Source: PA)

From the moment he arrived in the land of fog on September 17, President Trump was welcomed by King Charles III and the British Royal Family at Windsor Castle with a solemn ceremony, including a horse-drawn carriage procession, a cannon salute and a lavish banquet. This was described as the largest welcoming ceremony in British history for a State visit.

According to NBC News , the British Royal Army mobilized 1,300 soldiers, 120 horses and used traditional rituals to welcome the US President. The Marine One helicopter carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump landed right in the Walled Garden of Windsor Castle - an area rarely allowed for helicopter landing.

King Charles III greeted President Trump with a 41-gun salute from six World War I-era guns and the national anthems of both countries. Mr. Trump then took part in a horse-drawn carriage procession through the Royal Gardens.

Message through flavor

The reception was particularly impressive, with its formal ceremony and elaborate menu. Every dish and drink on the table displayed British sophistication, symbolizing Mr. Trump's personal history and the US-UK alliance, which was hailed as " diplomacy expressed through taste, not just a meal."

According to British media, the reception took place at St. George's Hall, the main banquet hall of Windsor Castle, with 160 guests of honor. The banquet table was about 47 meters long, decorated with 139 candles and flowers, and a total of 1,452 dishes. In addition, 5 glasses of wine were neatly placed at each seat.

The starter was a panna cotta made with pureed watercress from Hampshire, served with Parmesan biscuits and a quail egg salad. The dish, made with British ingredients and incorporating Italian cooking techniques, symbolised the link between Britain and mainland Europe.

The ballotine main course consists of organic Norfolk chicken wrapped in zucchini, rolled and seasoned with herbs such as thyme. By applying delicate cooking techniques to chicken, often considered a basic ingredient, this dish exudes British sophistication and simplicity.

Desserts include a dome of vanilla ice cream, Kentish raspberry sorbet and English Victoria plums. It's a truly 'English treat', highlighting the country's signature fruits.

The highlight of this party was the careful selection of drinks. First, the pre-dinner cocktail was called the “transatlantic whisky”, a blend of British and American whisky, symbolizing the strong alliance between the two countries. The name “transatlantic” conveyed the message that the friendship between the two countries transcended the vast ocean.

At the party, a number of drinks directly related to milestones in Mr. Trump's life also appeared. Among them were a 1945 Port wine to symbolize Mr. Trump's inauguration as the 45th President of the United States in 2017, a 1912 vintage Hennessy cognac to coincide with the year of his mother's birth, and a Bowmore Queen's Cask whisky to honor his mother's Scottish homeland. Although Mr. Trump does not drink alcohol, these choices were praised for reflecting the host's sophistication and special attention to Mr. Trump personally.

In addition, each wine served at the party also carried its own message. The “Monte Bello 2000” wine produced by Ridge Vineyards, California, highlighted the pride of American wine, while the English sparkling wine represented the prosperity of the foggy country’s wine industry. In addition, the French “Pol Roger Extra Cuvée 1998”, a wine once enjoyed by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II, was understood to reflect the close historical relationship between the two countries.

President Donald Trump speaks at a reception at Windsor Castle on September 17. (Source: PA)

The valuable numbers

The party was attended by not only the British Royal Family and First Lady Melania and daughter Tiffany Trump, but also by a host of business and industry giants, including Apple's Tim Cook, OpenAI's Sam Altman and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang. Some of the "golden faces" of British sports were also present, such as Mr. Nick Faldo, 6-time Masters and The Open golf champion, and Ms. Katherine Grainger, Olympic gold medalist rower.

In his speech at the reception, President Trump affirmed that this State visit is "one of the greatest honors of his life", and shared: "I have had the utmost respect for His Majesty the King and the United Kingdom for many decades". Meanwhile, King Charles III stated: "This special and important occasion (State visit) demonstrates the long-standing partnership between our two countries".

The special importance of the visit is also in line with the investment commitments it brings. According to figures released by the British Government on September 17, US President Donald Trump's State visit attracted £150 billion (about $204.87 billion) in investment capital to the country, including new commitments and previously announced commitments. This is the largest amount of commercial investment commitments compared to any previous State visit to the UK.

Of the £150 billion, £90 billion ($122 billion) is a commitment from private equity firm Blackstone to invest in the UK over the next decade. This comes on top of the £10 billion ($13.62 billion) the company pledged for an AI data center earlier this year.

The pledge also includes £3.9 billion ($5.31 billion) from investment firm Prologis and £1.5 billion ($2.04 billion) from technology company Palantir. The government said the investment package would create 7,600 high-quality jobs in sectors including clean energy and life sciences.

Downing Street sources said the £150 billion investment was higher than the whole of last year and the Prime Minister was "very optimistic" that the figure exceeded expectations. It was clear that the grand reception, with formal royal ceremonies and exquisite banquets, had brought immediate tangible results to the historic visit.