Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Were the First Royals to Greet Donald and Melania Trump During the State Visit

Earlier this week, when Donald and Melania Trump's helicopter, Marine One, landed on the grounds of Windsor Castle, they were personally greeted by two prominent members of the royal family—Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Writing for Vanity Fair, royal author and expert Katie Nicholl explained why it was the Prince and Princess of Wales who greeted the Trumps at the Walled Garden on the Windsor estate, as opposed to King Charles and Queen Camilla.

According to Nicholl, the decision to send Will and Kate to greet Donald and Melania Trump had nothing to do with the specifics of who was landing for a visit and everything to do with the fact that a state visit was happening at all.

"Prince William is required to meet visiting heads of state before they are officially introduced to King Charles and William, who last met with President Trump in December at the UK ambassador’s residence in Paris, offered a warm welcome," Nicholl wrote.

William's role in greeting visiting heads of state during state visits isn't new. His role as the first member of the royal family to greet visiting leaders was laid out explicitly in a June 2024 release from Buckingham Palace titled, "More details on the upcoming State Visit by The Emperor and Empress of Japan."

"His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will greet the Emperor and Empress of Japan, at their hotel, on behalf of The King on Tuesday morning," the release stated, explaining clearly that William's role in these situations is to extend greetings on behalf of the monarch before the King and Queen formally welcome the guests.

After Will and Kate greeted the Trumps, the Prince and Princess of Wales escorted their guests across the grounds at Windsor Castle to officially meet with King Charles and Queen Camilla, but royal protocol didn't stop William from keeping things light while making official introductions.

William decided to break the ice with some humor, casually saying, "This is my dad," while introducing Trump to the King.

After introductions were finished, the Trumps joined the royal family in a carriage procession, followed by lunch together inside Windsor Castle.

According to a People report, Will and Kate also had a private meeting with the Trumps after the group lunch. The meeting was described as "warm and friendly," although no details about what the couples discussed during private sit-down have been released by the palace at this time.