‘The NHS is not for sale’: Health Secretary hits back after US Ambassador says healthcare should be on the table in any transatlantic post-Brexit trade talks

  • US Ambassador said healthcare should be on the table in post-Brexit trade talks 
  • Woody Johnson told Andrew Marr the 'entire economy' would have to be part of any trans-Atlantic free trade agreement
  • But the health secretary and his Labour shadow said the NHS is 'not for sale' 
  • The row broke out on the eve of Trump's official state visit which begins today 

Claims by the US ambassador that America would want access to the NHS as part of any post-Brexit trade deal prompted a huge backlash last night.

MPs on both sides of the political spectrum criticised Woody Johnson after he said the 'entire economy' would have to be part of any trans-Atlantic free trade agreement.

The row came with President Trump just hours away from arriving in the UK for the official three-day state visit starting today, which will include a banquet at Buckingham Palace. With the US President about to touch down in London:

  • The Queen and the royal family will greet the US President, who will meet Her Majesty, Charles, William and Harry as well as fellow golf enthusiast the Duke of York during his visit.
  • Trump waded into the Tory leadership battle by saying in an interview that Boris Johnson would be an 'excellent choice' as leader 
  • The Labour Party was accused of risking the special relationship as senior figures prepare to lead an anti-Trump march on Tuesday
  • More than 20,000 police officers are gearing up for a security operation expected to cost more than £18million
  • The President denied he had called the Duchess of Sussex 'nasty' after hearing her past comments about him - despite The Sun having released the audio recording of him saying it
  • Theresa May prepares for Tuesday's working breakfast with Trump at which serious policy disagreements over the NHS, post-Brexit trade deals, Chinese telecomms giant Huawei, and his history of climate change skepticism are all likely to be on the agenda
Woody Johnson the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom appeared on The Andrew Marr Show today and said the 'whole economy' would be  included in trade talks

Woody Johnson the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom appeared on The Andrew Marr Show today and said the 'whole economy' would be  included in trade talks

TRUMPS' UK STATE VISIT SCHEDULE 

THIS MORNING, Monday June 3 

  • President Trump and the First Lady arrive in London.
  • The Queen, joined by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, will officially welcome them at Buckingham Palace.
  • The President will receive a ceremonial welcome in the Buckingham Palace garden and, accompanied by The Prince of Wales, Mr Trump will inspect the Guard of Honour, formed of Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards. Royal Gun salutes will be fired in Green Park and at the Tower of London.

THIS AFTERNOON, Monday June 3

  • The Queen will host a private lunch at the palace, after which the President and Mrs Trump will view a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery, which will showcase items of historical significance to the United States from the Royal Collection.
  • The President and Mrs Trump, accompanied by the Duke of York, will visit Westminster Abbey and the President will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior and then have a short tour of the Abbey.
  • The President and Mrs Trump will then join the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall for afternoon tea at Clarence House.
  • In the evening the Queen will give a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. The Queen and Mr Trump will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.

TOMORROW MORNING, Tues June 4

  • The President and Prime Minister Theresa May will co-host a business breakfast meeting, attended by The Duke of York, at St James’s Palace, with senior UK and US business leaders.
  • Mrs May will then host President Trump and Mrs Trump at 10 Downing Street to hold talks. They will all have lunch together.

TOMORROW AFTERNOON, Tue Jun 4 

  • President Trump and Mrs May will hold a press conference at 10 Downing Street.
  • In the evening, The President and Mrs Trump will host a dinner at Winfield House, the residence of the American Ambassador to the UK. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will attend the dinner on behalf of the Queen.

WEDNESDAY MORNING, June 5 

  • The Trumps will spend the day with the Queen and the Prince of Wales at the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings commemorations in Portsmouth, which will include a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, June 5 

  • The Queen will formally bid farewell to President Trump and Mrs Trump in Portsmouth.
  • The President and Mrs Trump will depart on Air Force One later in the day. 

All times local

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After his comments about the 'entire economy' being up for negotiation, Ambassador Johnson was asked by Andrew Marr if this included healthcare and replied: 'I would think so.'

Last night Tory leadership contenders joined with Labour in telling the Americans that 'the NHS is not for sale'.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said: 'My American friends, know this. The NHS is not for sale. Yes we'd love to make it cheaper to buy your life-saving pharmaceuticals – but the NHS will not be on the table in any future trade talks.'

And Labour health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth said: 'The ambassador's comments are terrifying, and show that a real consequence of a No Deal Brexit, followed by a trade deal with Trump, will be our NHS up for sale. 

'This absolutely should not be on the table. Nigel Farage and the Tories want to rip apart our publicly funded NHS. Labour will always defend it.'

Mr Johnson said the US was already looking at all the elements of a trade deal 'to get everything lined up so when the time comes'.

'We're going to have a great relationship with your country whatever happens,' he added.

Asked whether healthcare has to be part of the deal, he replied: 'I think probably the entire economy, in a trade deal all things that are traded will be on the table.' 

Pressed on whether this includes healthcare, he replied: 'I would think so.' 

Mr Johnson added: 'Your national healthcare service is the pride of the country. It's a highly emotionally charged issue.'

Lib Dem leadership candidate Ed Davey said: 'The US ambassador today let the cat out of the bag. Our NHS is indeed up for sale under the Conservatives.'

In an interview with the Sunday Times, President Trump said he would be keen to offer the next PM a trade deal if they head for a No Deal Brexit.

'We have the potential to be an incredible trade partner with the UK,' he said. 'The numbers they can do will be tremendous. We're doing relatively little compared to what we could. I think much bigger than European Union.' 

When asked if he thought a trade deal could be concluded within a year, Mr Trump said: 'We could work on it much faster, we could work on it very, very quickly. '

The row over the NHS broke out with just hours to go until Air Force One is due to touch down in London, with the capital decked out to greet the US President with US and UK flags adorning The Mall and a ring of steel erected around the Ambassador's Regent's Park residence.

Prince Andrew will accompany Mr Trump for two of the three days of his trip, with officials hoping the Duke can defuse any political problems with conversations about golf, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Mr Trump is believed to have so far spent over 100 days of his 862-day presidency playing golf while Prince Andrew is qualified to a professional level.

The men met 20 years ago at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate and golf course in Palm Springs, Florida, and are already well-acquainted sharing a mutual friend in disgraced millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was was jailed on child prostitution charges in 2008.   

Matt Hancock
Jonathan Ashworth

Health Secretary Matt Hancock (left) and shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth (right) both hit back at the remarks

Police officers and Guardsman from the Horse Guards move past U.S. and British flags as they stretch along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace in central London in advance of U.S. President Donald Trump State visit to Britain

Police officers and Guardsman from the Horse Guards move past U.S. and British flags as they stretch along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace in central London in advance of U.S. President Donald Trump State visit to Britain

FILE - In this Friday, July 13, 2018 file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth inspect the Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. For Britain's unflappable monarch, the arrival of President Donald Trump, his family and his armored entourage on June 3, 2019 means a full day of ceremony and toasts topped by a magnificent banquet at Buckingham Palace, but beneath the pomp and ceremony there are differences aplenty. The long-delayed state visit, timed to coincide with solemn ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, has been deeply divisive. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, file)

Donald Trump's state banquet has taken six months to plan and will see 170 guests sit down in Buckingham Palace's ballroom on Monday evening. Pictured during a visit to Windsor Castle in July 2018

A family enjoying a picnic in the park today did so up against the ring of steel enclosing the residence, where President Trump is expected to stay

A family enjoying a picnic in the park today did so up against the ring of steel enclosing the ambassador's residence, where President Trump is expected to stay

While the men make polite conversation, hundreds of thousands of activists are preparing to paralyse London with mass demonstrations.

Fears for Mr Trump's safety have meant he will not be involved in a carriage procession down the Mall or the official welcome on Horse Guards Parade - which will instead take place in Buckingham Palace's garden.

More than 20,000 police officers will be deployed at 20 separate protest events planned across the country in a security operation expected to cost about £18million.

Full details of Trump's state visit to Britain have now been revealed, including all the royals he will meet over the three days

Full details of Trump's state visit to Britain have now been revealed, including all the royals he will meet over the three days

The president's refusal to accept claims of climate change is likely to bring about some debate with the Prince of Wales who has championed environmental causes for decades.

Earlier this month Prince Charles said he was prepared for a frank exchange of views with Trump regarding climate change during the US President's State visit to Britain next month, The Mail on Sunday revealed. 

A detailed plan of what Mr Trump will do during his state visit to the UK. He is expected to meet the Queen, Theresa May, and attend a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace

According to a source close to the Prince, Charles will be 'very happy' to talk about climate change if the subject is raised by the President. 

The source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Climate change is a subject that the Prince has talked about for 40 years and he will look forward to discussing it with the President should it come up. He would be very happy to have the opportunity to talk about it.

Meanwhile two groups – Stand Up To Trump and Stop Trump – are co-ordinating protest groups for what they are calling a 'carnival of resistance'.

They have laid on coaches to bring thousands of supporters to the capital from cities and towns across the UK.

A spokesman for Stand Up To Trump said: 'We will be bringing central London to a standstill. By the time he leaves he will know, and the world will know, that people here reject him and his toxic politics.'

Stop Trump added: 'We will make it clear to the British Government it's not OK to normalise Trump's agenda and the fear it has sparked.'

Mr Trump and his wife Melania are being given the full red carpet treatment, with the Queen hosting four events in tribute to them. 

Royal gun salutes will fire in Trump's honour at the Tower of London and in Green Park, while Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Duke of York will be heavily involved too. 

The Duchess of Sussex, previously a vocal critic of Donald Trump, will stay at home with baby Archie rather than meet the US President during his state visit to the UK. 

The President branded Meghan as 'nasty' after hearing comments she made about him in 2016. 

Meghan, who called president Trump 'divisive' and a 'misogynist', will miss a private lunch with the Queen, Prince Harry and the president on Monday.

She is also expected to skip Monday evening's state banquet where members of the royal family will be joined by guests with American links for a lavish white tie dinner.

The ups and downs of the Special Relationship during the May/Trump years

Donald Trump's state visit will mark the latest chapter in the US president's turbulent relationship with the UK during the Premiership of Theresa May. Here are some of the key events:

The President and Prime Minister walked hand in hand along the Colonnade of the West Wing in January 2017

The President and Prime Minister walked hand in hand along the Colonnade of the West Wing in January 2017

January 2017: Theresa May becomes the first foreign leader to meet the president for talks just a week after his inauguration and they are pictured in Washington holding hands as they walked.

In a joint press conference at the White House, the pair hail the US-UK 'special relationship' and Mrs May says Mr Trump has accepted an invitation from the Queen for the president to make a state visit to Britain later that year.

May 2017:  A row erupts between the US and British authorities after sensitive information was leaked to American news outlets in the wake of the Manchester Arena terror attack.

Two days later, Mrs May says Mr Trump has made it clear the leaks were 'unacceptable'.

June 2017: The Prime Minister condemns Mr Trump's Twitter attacks on London Mayor Sadiq Khan after the London Bridge atrocity. Mr Trump had mocked Mr Khan for saying there was 'no reason to be alarmed' over armed police on the streets of the capital.

September 2017:  Mrs May delivers a rebuke to the US president after he claimed the Parsons Green Tube bomber was 'in the sights' of Scotland Yard. The Prime Minister said: 'I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.'

November 2017: Downing Street and the White House fall out after the president shared an anti-Muslim videos posted online by far-right group Britain First.

In response to a Downing Street rebuke, Mr Trump told the Prime Minister 'don't focus on me, focus on the destructive radical Islamic terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom'.

Mrs May rebuked the President after he shared this video from a Britain First extremist. He later replied that she should 'focus on the destructive radical Islamic terrorism that is taking place within the the United Kingdom'

Mrs May rebuked the President after he shared this video from a Britain First extremist. He later replied that she should 'focus on the destructive radical Islamic terrorism that is taking place within the the United Kingdom'

December 2017: American ambassador Woody Johnson expresses his desire to have the US president at the opening of the country's new embassy on London's South Bank in January.

January 2018: The US president says he has cancelled plans to travel to the UK to open the embassy, and hit out at the location of the project.

February 2018: Mr Trump uses the NHS as an example of why universal healthcare should not reach US shores, claiming it was 'going broke and not working'.

March 2018: The response from Mr Trump is initially ambiguous after Russia is blamed for the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury but the White House later states it 'stands in solidarity' with the UK and joins Western allies in expelling diplomats.

May 2018: Mr Trump, defending US gun laws, claimed a London hospital was 'like a war zone' because of the rate of stabbings in the capital. 'They don't have guns, they have knives,' he said.

July 2018: The president arrives in the UK for a working visit and immediately lobs a political hand grenade at Mrs May by criticising her approach to Brexit negotiations and lavishing praise on Boris Johnson - saying he would be a 'great prime minister' - just days after the Leave campaigner walked out of her Cabinet.

Mr Trump sought to repair the damage after talks at Chequers, saying the 'incredible' Prime Minister and was 'doing a fantastic job'.

Mrs May later revealed Mr Trump's advice on negotiating Brexit was to 'sue the EU'.

During the visit, Mr Trump was again spotted holding the Prime Minister's hand as they attended a banquet at Blenheim Palace.

President Trump praised Boris Johnson - then newly resigned from May's Cabinet - on the even of his 2018 state visit. Pictured: the two men at the UN in 2017

President Trump praised Boris Johnson - then newly resigned from May's Cabinet - on the even of his 2018 state visit. Pictured: the two men at the UN in 2017

November 2018: Mr Trump says the draft Withdrawal Agreement reached by the UK and EU setting out the terms for Brexit damaged the chances of a UK-US trade deal.

March 2019: The president said he was surprised how badly Brexit has been handled and warned that another referendum would be 'unfair'.

Speaking during a visit to the White House by Irish premier Leo Varadkar, Mr Trump said 'I'm not sure anybody knows' what was happening with Brexit.

May 2019: The president said Mrs May was 'a good woman, she worked hard' after the Prime Minister was forced to set out the timetable for her exit from Number 10.

But Mr Trump also suggested he would use his forthcoming visit to the UK to raise allegations that GCHQ was involved in spying on his presidential campaign - something the intelligence agency has dismissed as 'nonsense' and 'utterly ridiculous'.

Just days before the visit Mr Trump praised Nigel Farage - whose Brexit Party helped inflict an electoral humiliation on Mrs May's Tories earlier in the same week - and Boris Johnson, frontrunner in the race to replace the Prime Minister.

'They are two very good guys, very interesting people,' he said, describing both men as his 'friends'.

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Tonight's banquet: Six glasses each, four menus... and 12 pipers 

By Harry Cole and Charlotte Wace for The Mail on Sunday 

President Trump and his family will be wined and dined by the Queen and other Royals tonight, along with 170 guests picked for their cultural, diplomatic or economic links to the US, in the opulent Buckingham Palace Ballroom.

Former Buckingham Palace chef Darren McGrady described such events as 'military operations', with menus planned months in advance. 

All food will be the 'best of British' but there is likely to be a nod to Trump's Scottish heritage – with perhaps traditional shortbread or salmon. 

The exquisite menu served on priceless silver-gilt dinner plates and cutlery from the Grand Service made for George IV, take three days to lay at the vast U-shaped table, each place setting exactly 18in from the next, checked for precision with special measuring sticks.

Chefs will have been given some rough guidelines, and then prepared four menus. These will have been given to the Queen, who decides which she wants. 

Dining at the Cornithia, the lavish London hotel favoured by oligarchs and a A-list celebrities where Donald Trump and his family are staying

The opulent Buckingham Palace Ballroom where President Trump and his family will be wined and dined by the Queen and other Royals tonight

The Queen will be seated next to Mr Trump at the top end of the table, along with his wife, Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Other Royals will be spread between the guests.

Speeches start at 8pm when the Queen and Mr Trump will both formally address the gathering and propose toasts to one another, followed by the playing of the national anthems.

President Trump will be accompanied by First Lady Melania and four of his five children ¿ Donald Jnr, Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany

President Trump will be accompanied by First Lady Melania and four of his five children – Donald Jnr, Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany

A string orchestra usually provides the musical backdrop and the end of the banquet is signalled by the arrival of 12 pipers in a procession around the room, a tradition begun by Queen Victoria.

The dress code is white tie and tiaras. Members of the Royal family wear sashes and badges known as orders if they have been given them in recognition of Royal service. 

The footmen must make sure every chair is exactly the same distance from the table and each glass is the same distance from the front edge of the table. 

Detailed diagrams are used to illustrate the serving plans and a list of special instructions sets out any dietary requirements and requests for the Royals and other guests.

President Trump will be accompanied by First Lady Melania and four of his five children – Donald Jnr, Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany.

Just before the banquet, members of the Royal family will be lined up in the White Drawing Room to be introduced and shake hands with Mr Trump and the First Lady. The Queen and the President will then make their way into the Ballroom side-by-side. 

Nineteen serving stations are set up around the walls of the room, each manned by four staff – each station linked to a traffic light system to co-ordinate the serving of courses

Nineteen serving stations are set up around the walls of the room, each manned by four staff – each station linked to a traffic light system to co-ordinate the serving of courses

The footmen must make sure every chair is exactly the same distance from the table and each glass is the same distance from the front edge of the table

The footmen must make sure every chair is exactly the same distance from the table and each glass is the same distance from the front edge of the table

Four large silver gilt scallop shell soup tureens (below), each surmounted by a triton blowing a conch shell horn, are some of the most striking pieces in the Grand Service

Four large silver gilt scallop shell soup tureens (below), each surmounted by a triton blowing a conch shell horn, are some of the most striking pieces in the Grand Service

Two silver gilt three-branch candelabra, each cast as a fruiting vine stem, will adorn the table

Two silver gilt three-branch candelabra, each cast as a fruiting vine stem, will adorn the table

Each guest has six glasses – for water, red and white wines, a champagne toast, a dessert wine and port, all embossed with the Royal crest

Each guest has six glasses – for water, red and white wines, a champagne toast, a dessert wine and port, all embossed with the Royal crest

 

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Chlorine chicken alert: health and safety issues in US poultry farms

Serious health and safety issues have been revealed in American chicken plants that want to send meat to Britain following Brexit.

Mr Trump’s administration insists that Britain would be expected to open its shops to American food, including ‘chlorinated chicken’, as part of a free trade deal.

The US government, farmers and processors insist their chicken is perfectly safe. However, an undercover investigation at a US processing plant operated by America’s biggest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, has revealed a series of hygiene issues.

Chicken will be a major talking point in UK-US trade negotiations

Chicken will be a major talking point in UK-US trade negotiations

Concerns have focused on whether the industry operates to the same environmental standards as in Britain. One key issue has been the use of various washes, some containing chlorine, to disinfect slaughtered chicken. 

The investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches, to be shown tonight, found piles of chicken on conveyor belts for long periods of time, or stacked in a way that could lead to cross contamination; chicken innards on the floor; blocked drains; and supervisors touching raw chicken with their hands.

Ron Spellman, of the European Food and Meat Inspectors Association, said he was surprised at the findings. ‘It would appear that the EU are right – the US are working to much lower standards than we’ve got.’

When asked if he thought these were acceptable, he said: ‘Definitely not.

Tyson Foods said: ‘We’re producing good food that’s safe to eat. We have a robust quality and safety programme.’

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The Trumps book an ENTIRE floor at £22,000-a-night five-star London hotel for state visit: Four of the president's children will stay at the Cornithia that offers £200 jetlag-revival treatments and workouts with a Hollywood trainer 

By Katie Hind and Mark Hookam for The Mail on Sunday and Andrew Court for DailyMail.com 

It's the lavish London hotel favoured by oligarchs and a A-list celebrities where the most opulent suite costs £22,000 ($27,000) a night.

So it is perhaps fitting that Donald Trump, known for his love of extravagant decor, has booked an entire floor of the Corinthia Hotel for his family and extended entourage for this week's state visit to Britain.

The US President will be accompanied by wife Melania and four of his five children for the visit, which begins on Monday. 

The President and his wife are expected to stay at Winfield House, the US Ambassador's official residence in Regent's Park, but sources say other members of his family will stay at the five-star Corinthia in Westminster.

The Corinthia Hotel is one of London's most luxurious hotels, and is expected to be a home away from home for Donald Jr, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany during their State Visit to the UK this week

The Corinthia Hotel is one of London's most luxurious hotels, and is expected to be a home away from home for Donald Jr, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany during their State Visit to the UK this week

The Corinthia is located in the heart of London, meaning that the Trump children will be able to take in jaw-dropping views of the historic city

The Corinthia is located in the heart of London, meaning that the Trump children will be able to take in jaw-dropping views of the historic city

Corinthia  (pictured) features two restaurants, including one headed up by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge

Corinthia  (pictured) features two restaurants, including one headed up by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge

The luxurious hotel, which has its own branch of department store Harrods and a huge spa spread over four floors, featured last year in the two-part BBC1 documentary A Hotel For The Super-Rich And Famous.

Trump's children, Donald Jr, 41, Ivanka, 37, Eric, 35, and Tiffany, 25, are all expected to check in to the Corinthia.  

The President has reportedly booked out an entire floor for his brood and and their entourage. 

It's royal-suite penthouse costs £22,000 ($27,000) a night and boasts four bedrooms, a dining room that seats ten, a full-sized bar stocked with champagne and a bathroom fitted with marble and onyx surfaces.

It's unclear whether the Trumps will stay in that lavish suite, but it features its own private internal lift, meaning they would not have to mingle with members of the public and other guests.  

The royal-suite penthouse (pictured) costs £22,000 ($27,000) a night, and boasts four bedrooms

The royal-suite penthouse (pictured) costs £22,000 ($27,000) a night, and boasts four bedrooms 

The Trumps are used to the finer things in life, and would no doubt fit right in staying inside the royal-suite penthouse. The suite's dining room is pictured

The Trumps are used to the finer things in life, and would no doubt fit right in staying inside the royal-suite penthouse. The suite's dining room is pictured

Pictured: One of the royal-suite penthouse's bathrooms, which is complete with marble and onyx surfaces

Pictured: One of the royal-suite penthouse's bathrooms, which is complete with marble and onyx surfaces

In addition to boasting its own private, internal elevator entrance, the royal-suite penthouse also has a balcony with incredible views

In addition to boasting its own private, internal elevator entrance, the royal-suite penthouse also has a balcony with incredible views

However, should the siblings wish to escape their suite, they'll be able to make the most of the Corinthia's opulent amenities. 

The hotel features a decadent indoor swimming pool, as well as a lavish spa and wellness center. 

One service on offer inside the wellness center is known as 'the jet lag reviver' - a £220 ($280) treatment that includes a scalp massage and body exfoliation, aimed to re-energize the weary traveler.  

Should the Trump clan wish to work out during their time in London, they'll be able to employ the services of an elite personal trainer. 

A health center at the Corinthia was designed by David Higgins - a trainer who has worked with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Margot Robbie and Claudia Schiffer.  

The hotel features a decadent indoor swimming pool (pictured) as well as a lavish spa and wellness center

The hotel features a decadent indoor swimming pool (pictured) as well as a lavish spa and wellness center

Crystal Moon Lounge, where guests take afternoon tea, is dominated by a huge Baccarat crystal chandelier

Crystal Moon Lounge, where guests take afternoon tea, is dominated by a huge Baccarat crystal chandelier

The Corinthia boasts several bars and restaurants, featuring some of the most sumptuous food in the United Kingdom
The Trumps will be able sample classic British food, as well as tasty desserts and pastries

The Corinthia boasts several bars and restaurants, featuring some of the most sumptuous food in the United Kingdom

The Trumps have reportedly booked out an entire floor of the luxury five-star hotel. A hotel bedroom is seen above

The Trumps have reportedly booked out an entire floor of the luxury five-star hotel. A hotel bedroom is seen above

Meanwhile, the Corinthia boasts some of the finest dining experiences in London, with a number of bars and restaurants located inside the hotel.  

Crystal Moon Lounge, where guests take afternoon tea, is dominated by a huge Baccarat crystal chandelier.

Meanwhile, Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge last year took over one of the two restaurants, where the most expensive item on the wine-list is a £7,000 ($8,846) bottle of 1982 Petrus.

Celebrity guests have included Mariah Carey, James Corden and Cuba Gooding Jr. 

Will.i.am, the Black Eyed Peas star and judge on the The Voice ITV talent show, is also a regular guest, staying for up to ten weeks at a time. Rather than bringing suitcases, he has kept a collection of clothes at the hotel.

For security reasons, the Trump entourage is understood to have reserved all of the rooms across one of the hotel's floors.

Unlike Claridge's or The Ritz, which have been attracting the world's super-rich for decades, the Corinthia, which has 225 rooms, 51 suites and seven penthouses, only opened eight years ago.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, will have lunch with the Queen and enjoy a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace during the course of a three-day state visit beginning on Monday

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, will have lunch with the Queen and enjoy a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace during the course of a three-day state visit beginning on Monday

Mr Trump is reportedly bringing daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both advisers to the President, along with her siblings Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump

Mr Trump is reportedly bringing daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both advisers to the President, along with her siblings Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump

But its building, on a triangular site between Trafalgar Square and the Thames Embankment, has a rich history.

Originally built as the Metropole hotel, the building was leased by the Government as offices in 1936 and used by M19 – British military intelligence – during the Second World War. Located close to the Ministry of Defence, it housed defence intelligence staff until 1992.

A spokesman for the Corinthia said: 'As you can appreciate, we do not comment on guest bookings.'

 

Ring of steel goes up in Regent's Park  in face of mass protests 

President Trump will be surrounded by a ring of steel this week while he stays at Winfield House, the American Ambassador's London residence.

Workmen were yesterday completing a 6ft security fence around the mansion and its 12-acre garden opposite London Central Mosque in Regent's Park.

One entry gate was quickly plastered with 'Bollocks to Brexit' protest stickers.

Up to 10,000 police officers, many drafted in from provincial forces, will mobilise in the capital to cope with the mass protests expected to accompany the President's state visit.

Workers erect a fence a Winfield House in Regent's Park, London, as the UK prepares to welcome Donald Trump. Preparations are being made across the capital for the president's arrival

Anti-Trump activists will be allowed within yards of Downing Street when the US President has lunch with Theresa May on Tuesday. Police had banned the protesters from Whitehall, but relented last week to allow the rally as far as the Women's War Memorial, within shouting distance of the Downing Street security gates.

The rest of Whitehall leading to Parliament Square will, however, be closed off.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that a coalition of Left-wing groups, including Extinction Rebellion activists and a campaign called Milkshakes Against Racism, have formed to protest against Trump and his policies. Some of the groups have a history of being arrested at previous protests.

The movement, organised by the Stop Trump Coalition, is planning a 'carnival of resistance' for 250,000 protesters outside No 10.

Road blocks are assembled around Winfield House in Regent's Park, London, were security measures are being enforced ahead of Donald Trump's arrival 

They have threatened to 'bring Central London to a standstill' and follow Mr Trump around the UK to cause maximum disruption.

Last night, the organisers of the Stop Trump Coalition would not rule out breaking the law to get their message across and instead praised tactics used by climate change protesters last month.

'Extinction Rebellion, along with other groups, have done a brilliant job of bringing the climate crisis into the spotlight in the UK,' said a spokesman. The protesters will meet in Trafalgar Square at 11am on Tuesday, where there will be areas themed around the activists' objections to Mr Trump, including migrant's rights, racism and misogyny and climate justice.

One 'bloc' hosted by the charity Global Justice Now will focus on chlorinated chicken, with activists dressed up as chickens in protest. Another will be made up of activists dressed as handmaids from Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale.

Amnesty International will also unfurl five 'Resist Trump' banners from Vauxhall Bridge, which faces the US embassy.

However, organisers for the Together Against Trump protest are expected to raise the £30,000 needed to fly the Trump baby blimp over London once again.

 

All the Presidents’ Ma'am! How the Queen has charmed 13 occupants of the White House (and their wives) and helped to keep the 'special relationship' alive

By Robert Hardman for the Daily Mail

First conceived by Winston Churchill after the end of World War II, it has been at the heart of British foreign policy ever since: our ‘special relationship’ with the United States.

But no one has done more for this great trans-Atlantic alliance than the woman who has known a staggering 13 occupants of the White House.

Indeed, as I explain in my latest book, Queen Of The World, there is nobody in either Britain or the U.S. who can claim to have met, conversed and dined with 12 serving U.S. Presidents — plus a retired one (Herbert Hoover).

She has hosted most of them, too, and today will welcome Donald Trump at Buckingham Palace. It is their second meeting, yet presidential visits here were few and far between before the invention of the jet engine.

No one has done more for the great trans-Atlantic alliance between the UK than the US than Queen Elizabeth II

No one has done more for the great trans-Atlantic alliance between the UK than the US than Queen Elizabeth II

The Palace entertained its first U.S. President in 1918, when Woodrow Wilson met George V at the end of World War I. But it would not be until 1961 that another president came through the gates.

That was John F. Kennedy, on a flying visit (The Queen had met Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower by then but JFK was her first palace visitor). He was accompanied by the First Lady, Jackie Kennedy, for a private dinner. The Queen would never see JFK again.

His assassination touched her deeply at the time when she was heavily pregnant with Prince Edward.

Doctors advised her against attending the national memorial service at St Paul’s, so she held her own at Windsor and invited 400 U.S. servicemen.

She would take a close personal interest in the Kennedy memorial, erected nearby at Runnymede, and made a stirring speech at its inauguration, saluting a man who ‘championed liberty in an age when its very foundations were being threatened’.

Prince Philip held the hand of John Junior — the little boy who moved the whole world by saluting his father’s coffin at the funeral in Washington DC in November 1963.

The Queen has met with 13 sitting US presidents, including John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie in 1961

The Queen has met with 13 sitting US presidents, including John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie in 1961

Hence the added poignancy when that same four-year-old gave a respectful bow to the Queen.

Britain’s decision to stay out of the Vietnam War led to a cooling between London and Washington, so the Queen’s path never crossed that of Kennedy’s successor, President Lyndon B Johnson.

But it was the Queen who helped soothe any bilateral bruising when she invited Johnson’s successor, Richard Nixon, to lunch during his visit to London in 1969.

‘Both my daughters follow you very closely,’ the President joked with Prince Charles.

Gerald Ford was in the White House when the Queen crossed the Atlantic to mark the bicentenary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It was, though, under President Ronald Reagan that the relationship would be as ‘special’ as it had been at any stage since D-Day — thanks again to that personal touch of the monarch.

Ronald Reagan was very comfortable on a horse when he visited, a skill that would lead to one of the most celebrated photographs of the Queen¿s reign

Ronald Reagan was very comfortable on a horse when he visited, a skill that would lead to one of the most celebrated photographs of the Queen’s reign

Reagan was very comfortable on a horse, a skill that would lead to one of the most celebrated photographs of the Queen’s reign when the world’s press arrived at Windsor to see the two heads of state on horseback.

Reagan enjoyed some cheerful banter with the photographers.

‘If you stand still, I’ll take it over the top [of you],’ he yelled from astride Centennial.

The Queen set off on Burmese, her Canadian mare, with Reagan in hot pursuit, followed by teams of bodyguards on four legs and four wheels.

Reagan became the first U.S. President to address both Houses of Parliament.

The White House had wanted him to address MPs and peers in Westminster Hall, the great hammer-beamed medieval chamber. However, use of the hall would require cross-party support, and the Labour leader, Michael Foot, would not agree.

The then prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, duly arranged for the Royal Gallery to be used and it was a tour de force by Reagan, the former Hollywood actor with the common touch. He joked that when he had dined with Mrs Thatcher beneath a portrait of George III at the British Embassy in Washington, she had urged him to let ‘bygones be bygones’.

Later as 158 guests gathered for a banquet in St George’s Hall, Windsor, the Queen had a George III joke, too, as she recalled the warmth of her reception during the bicentenary: ‘Had King George III been able to foresee the long-term consequences of his actions, he might not have felt so grieved about the loss of his colonies.’

Of all the U.S. presidents, George Bush Senior was closest to the Queen in age. Like her (and Prince Philip), he served in World War II.

On the 1991 state visit, she became the first British monarch to address a joint session of Congress. It was his son, George W. Bush, however, who became the first American president to pay a full state visit to the United Kingdom, in 2003.

By then, two seismic events had taken place. The Royal Family had been through the maelstrom of the Nineties, culminating in the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. There were few places where Diana’s star had shone brighter than in the U.S. And four years later, the U.S. endured the worst terrorist attack in its history: 9/11. Tony Blair had been the first world leader to visit Washington after the attacks.

The morning after the atrocities, the Queen ordered the Union flag on Buckingham Palace to be lowered to half-mast and asked the band to play the Star-Spangled Banner during Changing the Guard. As former President Bill Clinton reflected later: ‘It took my breath away. It was wonderful. It was something I will never forget.’

Against this backdrop, George W. Bush’s state visit was always going to be congenial, regardless of the (smaller-than-expected) protests against the Iraq War.

That evening, after they’d dined on halibut, chicken and praline ice cream at the Buckingham Palace state banquet, the Queen saluted: ‘the depth and breadth of our partnership’.

The return dinner the next night according to then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, was an ‘intimate affair’ for around 60 guests at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence, Winfield House in Regent’s Park. Tortillas, lamb and fudge brownies were served and Andrew Lloyd Webber provided entertainment.

Straw added that his wife, Alice, found herself having one of those ‘I’m sure we’ve met before’ conversations with a familiar-looking guest. ‘I’m Michael Caine,’ he replied.

With the arrival of the next occupant of the Oval Office, the gloss on the relationship appeared to be in danger of fading.

There were early reports that Barack Obama had evicted the bust of Winston Churchill from the White House (not entirely true; there had been two busts and he returned one). Inevitably, it was the custodian-in-chief of

the ‘special relationship’ who turned things round.

Cameras picked up a ¿faux pas¿ moment, when Michelle Obama was seen to put her arm around the Queen in 2009

Cameras picked up a ‘faux pas’ moment, when Michelle Obama was seen to put her arm around the Queen in 2009

The Obamas enjoyed their first royal encounter when they arrived in London in 2009 for the G20 summit. During the reception that followed, cameras picked up a ‘faux pas’ moment, when Michelle Obama was seen to put her arm around the Queen.

In fact the Queen simultaneously put her arm around the U.S. First Lady, too. It turned out they’d been swapping notes about heel sizes.

A while later, when Michelle Obama and her daughters paid a private visit to London, the Queen gave them a private tour of the Palace.

In Spring 2011, the Obamas returned on a state visit. After the welcome lunch, the Queen showed the couple a special display of American-themed treasures from the Royal Collection. It included George III’s handwritten lament after the loss of the American colonies: ‘America is lost!’

Mr Obama laughed and said: ‘That was just a temporary blip in the relationship!’

There was no shortage of glamour that evening at the Queen’s state banquet.

Former Foreign Secretary William Hague recalls that his wife, Ffion, helped actor Tom Hanks navigate the bewildering assortment of cutlery and crystal.

What sticks in Lord Hague’s mind most of all, however, was the Queen’s announcement that it was bedtime.

‘When the Queen said it was time for the whole thing to be over — it was only teatime for Obama, being jet-lagged — he said: “Is she serious?” But off they all went.

‘The President of the United States would probably not defer to anyone else in the world!’

Five years later, as the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday, a huge helicopter landed outside Windsor Castle. Family aside, the first people who had come to extend their best wishes in person were Barack and Michelle Obama.

‘It wasn’t certain that America and Britain would be as close under Obama as it turned out to be,’ the then Prime Minister David Cameron would later comment.

That they were, he says, was down to that pivotal figure at the heart of the relationship. Today, at the age of 93, she will do it all over again.

Extracted from Queen Of The World by Robert Hardman, published by Arrow on June 13 at £9.99. © Robert Hardman 2019. To order a copy for £7.99 (valid to 10/6/19), call 0844 571 0640. P&P free on orders over £15.

 

The Donald's dynasty: From the 'Melaniabot' and Ice Queen First Daughter to the rabble-rousing son, TOM LEONARD takes a look at the US President's family as they prepare to accompany him to UK for his state visit

Love me, love my kids. That’s a guiding principle of the Donald Trump presidency, one of the most nepotistic in U.S. political history.

Trump values loyalty above all and who better than his offspring to show how it’s done. His three older children work for him, as do their partners.

Given The Donald’s fond memories of his Scottish-born mother — a big fan of royalty, apparently — it’s inevitable that his state visit would be a family outing that even includes young Tiffany, the so-called ‘invisible Trump’.

So who’s who in the President’s very personal entourage?

Meet the Trumps: (From left) Donald Jr, wife Melania, President Donald, Ivanka, Eric and the lesser-spotted Tiffany at the Trump International Hotel in Washington

Meet the Trumps: (From left) Donald Jr, wife Melania, President Donald, Ivanka, Eric and the lesser-spotted Tiffany at the Trump International Hotel in Washington

Stylishly aloof, Melania's a mystery 

Melania Trump, 49

First Lady Melania Trump walking from her airplane to her motorcade wearing a Zara design jacket with the phrase 'I Really Don't Care. Do U?' on the back last year

First Lady Melania Trump walking from her airplane to her motorcade wearing a Zara design jacket with the phrase 'I Really Don't Care. Do U?' on the back last year

Family ranking: Donald Trump’s third wife had a hesitant start as First Lady. It’s been reported that she never encouraged her husband to run for office and burst into tears on election night 2016 when he won, a claim she has fiercely denied.

She then remained in New York for six months, insisting their son Barron finished his school year. Even now, she’s rarely seen at her husband’s side while insiders say she barely sees him.

Image: Glamorous and mysterious. Nobody knows what she thinks of her husband and his presidency, his hard line on immigration (she’s one herself) and his alleged philandering. Interestingly, she has chosen to campaign against child cyber-bullying — though her husband is arguably one of the biggest Twitter tormentors of them all.

Monosyllabic in public, the Slovenian-born ex-model hopefully hasn’t seen Tracey Ullman’s BBC comedy series, which portrays her as the robotic ‘Melaniabot’.

Mother figure: Hugely protective of Barron, her only child,who is 13. He’s expected to stay in Washington DC.

Queen of protocol: Aides say her great White House interest is interior decoration and the placement at state dinners. She’s taken a special interest in protocol on this visit, especially over what presents to give, and the flowers, menu and seating plan when the Trumps entertain Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at Winfield House, the U.S. ambassador’s Regent’s Park residence.

Wardrobe: A renowned clothes horse, Mrs Trump will have planned her wardrobe with just as much precision as her place settings, so watch out for at least one British-designed frock.

Be prepared for surprises, too, as the First Lady is also famous for the odd fashion faux-pas, such as the Manolo Blahnik stilettos she wore en route to visit hurricane victims in Texas in 2017.

It’ll be a bad news for the ‘special relationship’ if she wears her notorious Parka coat with ‘I really don’t care. Do U?’ scrawled on it which she donned to visit illegal immigrants on the Mexican border.

 

Ambitious daddy's girl who's made enemies

Ivanka Trump, 37

The 'Unofficial First Daughter' Ivanka Trump (pictured with husband Jared Kushner) will be one of the four Trump children tagging along for the state visit

The 'Unofficial First Daughter' Ivanka Trump (pictured with husband Jared Kushner) will be one of the four Trump children tagging along for the state visit

Position: America’s unofficial ‘First Daughter’ by Trump’s first wife Ivana, the unflappable ‘Ice Princess’ is the absolute apple of her father’s eye. She has ‘the best figure’ in his opinion and he once said he’d consider dating her — if, erm, she wasn’t his daughter. She’d also be ‘very, very hard to beat’ if she ran for President. He’d like to have made her head of the World Bank or U.S. ambassador to the UN were it not for the public rows.

Family ranking: Stratospheric. She and her husband Jared Kushner (both pictured left), 38, are senior White House advisers, with the President’s ear.

Image: ‘Javanka’, as the couple are known, were once seen by Left-wingers as the acceptable face of Project Trump, glamorous, sophisticated and liberal-minded New Yorkers counselling moderation. The gloss has since come off. An insider described them as a ‘toxic mix of arrogance and ignorance’, with an insatiable lust for power and the source of some of the President’s most controversial policies.

Work life: White House colleages reportedly can’t stand them, allegedly dubbing Jared the ‘Secretary of Everything’ thanks to his insistence on having a finger in each pie, and Ivanka ‘Habi’, meaning ‘Home of All Bad Ideas’.

Home life: The couple live in a Washington DC mansion with their three photogenic children — Arabella, Joseph and Theodore. Despite occasional whispers the couple want to return to New York, they’ve stuck it out.

Money: Lots of it. She’s a successful ex-fashion entrepreneur and he’s a multi-millionaire property developer.

The couple earned at least £61 million in outside income during their first year as unpaid advisers to the President. She sold her fashion firm last year, and he has stepped back from the day-to-day running of his business.

They’ve been accused by some critics of being utterly brazen in their determination to use the Presidency to advance themselves.

Ambitions: Enormous. Ivanka believes she may one day be President, too, and has told people that her father’s administration is ‘the beginning of a great American dynasty’.

 

A loose cannon, just like Pop

Donald Trump Jr, 41

Donald Jr is the President¿s oldest son and the first of his three children with Ivana

Donald Jr is the President’s oldest son and the first of his three children with Ivana

Position: The President’s oldest son and the first of his three children with Ivana. A former boardroom judge on his father’s reality TV series The Apprentice, he and brother Eric took over the reins of the multi-billion-dollar Trump Organisation when their dad became President.

Father's footsteps: A chip off the old block in private and public. He isn’t exactly regarded as an intellectual heavyweight, but seems determined to try to live up to his father.

Rabble rouser: Inherited his father’s flair for causing trouble on Twitter, once posting a message comparing Syrian refugees with a bowl of the multi-coloured sweets Skittles, sprinkled with a few that ‘would kill you’.

Russian Ties: Donald Jr has been issued with a congressional subpoena over his dealings with Russia in the 2016 election, in particular his arranging for a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer to meet senior campaign figures to discuss getting dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Family man: Last year, his wife Vanessa (with whom he has five children) filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage. Insiders blamed his long absences from the family home. Donald Jr was asked, just before his first child was born, what he was going to be like as a father. ‘Trumps don’t do diapers,’ he replied. It’s claimed their marriage failed as long ago as 2011 when Mrs Trump discovered he was allegedly having an affair with Aubrey O’Day, a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice.

Cheap date: Don Jr is alleged to have treated his ex-wife like a ‘second-class citizen’, giving her so little money she had to ask her mother for help. He proposed with an engagement ring he got free from a jeweller after agreeing to publicise the business.

His new girlfriend is a former Fox News presenter, Kimberly Guilfoyle, 50, who has become a senior advisor on the Trump 2020 re-election campaign.

Future leader: He lacks his sister’s finesse but some say that if any Trump child is going to take up their father’s political baton, it might be Donald Jr. Rank-and-file Trump supporters adore him. He rants about what they rant about — he’s one of them, they say. ‘He’s accessible, he’s in the trenches . . . he’s the one you want to have a beer with,’ one activist told a magazine recently.

 

On safari, he's a big shot 

Eric Trump, 35

Eric Trump is involved in the Trump business along with his older brother, looking after the winery in Virginia and also running the golf clubs

Eric Trump is involved in the Trump business along with his older brother, looking after the winery in Virginia and also running the golf clubs

Position: President of the Trump winery in Virginia and also runs the Trump golf clubs.

Image: Generally portrayed by comics as the dunce of the bunch. Lacks the aggressive political instincts of Donald Jr and Ivanka.

Business savvy: Washington ethics campaigners are demanding to know how much public money was spent when Eric flew dozens of U.S. Trump golf club members over for a tour of his Scottish courses. In 2017, The Eric Trump Foundation was accused of shifting money meant for cancer patients to family businesses, notably its golf clubs. Eric denies wrongdoing and promises to co-operate.

Hobbies: Same as Donald Jr — game hunting. In 2010, an animal rights group attacked them for going on a safari killing spree.

Spousal support: Wed TV producer Lara Yunaska in 2013. She is pregnant with their second child. Lara’s a rising star in Team Trump.

 

Rare outing for Tiffany

Tiffany Trump, 25

The second youngest Trump after Baron, Tiffany has not been in spotlight as much as the other children, and is currently finishing a law degree at university

The second youngest Trump after Baron, Tiffany has not been in spotlight as much as the other children, and is currently finishing a law degree at university 

Position: Donald Trump’s only child from his marriage to his second wife, model Marla Maples.

Nickname: ‘The Invisible Trump’. Tiffany, named after the jewellers, acquired this moniker because she’s barely seen. She didn’t even get a mention in a documentary about her dad’s life that was shown at the Republican National Convention. And she was the only adult Trump not invited to join his team after his election. Her inclusion on the London trip is unusual.

Family ranking: While Trump was able to mould his other children, Tiffany was raised by her mother in California after her divorce from Donald. He once admitted he was proud of her to ‘a lesser extent’ than his other children.

Career: Difficult to identify. Though she’s studying law in Washington DC, she’s done little to budge perceptions of her as a spoilt rich kid.

Hobbies: Posting vacuous pictures of all the glamorous places she goes.

Other half: She’s split up with Ross Mechanic, a boyfriend at university who had Democrat sympathies. New beau Michael Boulos is from a Franco-Lebanese billionaire business family and is studying finance at London’s City University. They recently holidayed on a yacht in the South of France, and she’s been introducing him to the Trump family.

Ambitions: After a failed attempt to be a pop star, sources say she would settle for becoming closer to her father and half-siblings. And getting married.

 

A VERY fashionable arrival! Ivanka is the first of the Trump clan to land in London for state visit and she plays tourist and takes in the Dior and Mary Quant exhibit at the V&A museum

The US President's eldest daughter has arrived in London in advance of her father's state and even shared a photograph of herself at a design museum.

It was after she was spotted walking through the airport on Saturday pulling her hand luggage while dressed in all-black. 

Ivanka Trump, 37, posted a photograph of herself outside the Victoria and Albert Museum this afternoon wearing a yellow floral dress from New York sister designers duo Ai Ly and Wayne Lee - aka Les Reveries.

She paired the pure silk-crepe frock that falls to a flattering midi length with blue high heels as she stepped out to see the Mary Quant exhibit of over 200 pieces of clothing and accessories from the British designer. 

The stand-out item was listed as $655 but is now available for a bargain $458 on Net-a-Porter.  

Ivanka Trump arrived in the UK today and visited the V&A Museum in Kensington, London

Ivanka Trump arrived in the UK today and visited the V&A Museum in Kensington, London

The First Daughter was spotted traveling through the airport Saturday in a black ensemble

The First Daughter was spotted traveling through the airport Saturday in a black ensemble

She stepped out to the Mary Quant Exhibit at the V&A Museum once she arrived in London

She stepped out to the Mary Quant Exhibit at the V&A Museum once she arrived in London

Guests to the V&A exhibit can see miniskirts and hot pants, vibrant tights and makeup from the designer.

 The V&A, founded in 1852, holds the world's largest collection of applied and decorative arts and design. 

Donald Trump, known for his love of extravagant decor, has booked an entire floor of the Corinthia Hotel - which has 225 rooms, 51 suites and seven penthouses - in Whitehall Place Westminster for his family and extended entourage for this week's state visit to Britain.

The US President will be accompanied by wife Melania and four of his five children for the visit, which begins today.

The President and his wife are expected to stay at Winfield House, the US Ambassador's official residence in Regent's Park, but sources say other members of his family will stay at the five-star Corinthia.

Celebrity guests have included Mariah Carey, James Corden and Cuba Gooding Jr. 

President Donald Trump's visit begins this morning when he will be received by the Queen before three days of meetings and ceremonial pomp which will include a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. 

Guests to the V&A exhibit can see miniskirts and hot pants, vibrant tights and makeup

Guests to the V&A exhibit can see miniskirts and hot pants, vibrant tights and makeup

Designer Mary Quant launched a fashion revolution on the British high street. One of her pieces are seen above

Designer Mary Quant launched a fashion revolution on the British high street. One of her pieces is seen above

Mr Trump and his wife Melania are being given the full red carpet treatment, with the Queen hosting no fewer than four events in tribute to them.

Royal gun salutes will fire in Trump's honor at the Tower of London and in Green Park, while Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Duke of York will be heavily involved too.

The Duchess of Sussex, previously a vocal critic of Donald Trump, will stay at home with baby Archie rather than meet the US President during his state visit to the UK.

The President is due to receive a ceremonial welcome in the garden, inspecting the Guard of Honour, formed of Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards. 

It was arranged for Royal Gun salutes to be fired in Green Park too.

The Queen is also scheduled to host a private lunch at the palace, after which the President and Mrs Ivanka Trump were to view a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery, showcasing items of historical significance to the United States from the Royal Collection.

The President and Mrs Trump, accompanied by the Duke of York, are set to visit Westminster Abbey where the President would lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior and then have a short tour of the Abbey.

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