President Trump will soon be landing at London Stansted Airport to begin an unprecedented second state visit to the UK
Marco Rubio, his secretary of state, has already arrived – Yvette Cooper has greeted him on the tarmac
King Charles III is set to host the US president and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle for two days of events
The red carpet is being rolled out for the president, with carriage processions, military parades, the Red Arrows and a State Banquet in St George's Hall
Trump is the first US president to be invited to a second UK state visit
However, despite careful planning, Trump's state visit is mired with potential pitfalls, the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale writes
Edited by Jack Burgess and André Rhoden-Paul in London
Where will it take place?
US President Donald Trump and his wife First Lady Melania Trump will be hosted at Windsor Castle.
The location was chosen as the typical venue, Buckingham Palace, is currently undergoing renovations.
Like all visits of this kind, the event will include a full ceremonial welcome and a state banquet in St George's Hall, Windsor Castle.
Who will be involved?
All senior members of the Royal Family will be involved, including the Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Will Trump be seen in public?
Any visit from a US president brings with it security challenges, and Trump's programme is unlikely to include public-facing events.
During his 2019 visit, there was no procession along The Mall for security reasons and Trump was mostly flown between locations instead of travelling by road.
We don't yet know whether Trump will speak to parliamentarians, which is often included in the choreography of a state visit.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has just landed at London Stansted Airport, ahead of Donald Trump who's expected to land on Air Force One later this evening.
He has been greeted by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent
This state visit is designed to improve UK-US relations and cement the government’s relationship with an at-times-unreliable ally.
Diplomats say the president will focus on royal pageantry and avoid controversy.
But the potential for disagreement remains.
Peter Mandelson: The sacking of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s man in Washington, for his links to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, will cast a pall.
Questions about this may dominate Thursday’s news conference.
The risk for ministers is that the focus shifts from Prime Minister Starmer’s competence to President Trump’s links to Epstein.
Middle East: The UK is expected to recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next week to keep alive the idea of a two-state solution.
The US is fiercely opposed to this, saying the move would reward terrorism and encourage Israel to annex parts of the West Bank.
Free speech: The White House claims UK regulation of the Internet threatens free speech, which is something ministers reject.
US officials say the issue may come up, as it is something “we in this administration are very much focused on”.
Protests: This state visit will take place behind a ring of steel away from the public.
But anti-Trump demonstrations are planned and the president could push back angrily if he watches coverage of the protests on television.
The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip pose with President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, ahead of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2011
It's a formal trip to the UK by a head of state and is normally at the invitation of the King, who acts on advice from the government.
Although they're grand occasions, they're not just ceremonial affairs – they're also used by the government to further what it sees as Britain's national interests.
Trump is only the third US president to make a state visit to the UK, after George W Bush in 2003 and Barack Obama in 2009.
Just before President Trump boarded Air Force One and departed the US a few hours ago, he spoke about his relationship with King Charles III, who he calls "my friend".
The US president says the King is "such an elegant gentleman" and adds that he "represents the country so well".
You can see Trump's comments in this short video clip:
This video can not be played
Jack Burgess
Live page editor
Donald Trump and his wife Melania alongside King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who were then the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, during the US president's first state visit in 2019
President Trump's unprecedented second state visit to the UK is about to get under way.
Since the start of Queen Elizabeth II's reign in 1952, there have only been three state visits by US presidents – George W Bush in 2003, Barack Obama in 2009 and Donald Trump in 2019.
From carriage processions through the grounds of Windsor Castle to a State Banquet in St George's Hall, over the next two days the red carpet will be rolled out for President Trump on his second state visit.
It's a significant moment and careful preparation for the visit has been going on for months.
It will give Prime Minister Starmer's government a significant opportunity to build on US-UK relations.
However, the visit is not without its potential pitfalls, as the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale writes.
We'll be bringing you all the latest updates and analysis right here on this page over the next couple of days.
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