Lede
Call it “bromance” if you like. It’s still a government-advised photo-op in borrowed gold.
What does not make sense
- Treating a state visit as if the King invited himself. The government recommends; the Palace performs.
- Front pages chasing chemistry while the agenda is trade, Ukraine, and optics.
- Lectures on “freedom” delivered between carriage rides and banquets.
- Critics branded unpatriotic for noticing the theatre.
- Calling it historic, then filing no measurable outcomes.
Sense check / The numbers
- Who invites whom: State visits are issued in the King’s name on ministerial advice (FCDO/PM). That’s the constitution, not romance.
- What actually happened: A full inbound UK state visit took place on 17–18 September 2025: Guard of Honour, carriage to Windsor, state banquet.
- The spin: Headlines and protests alike framed it as symbolic alignment; one Guardian piece even saw an MBE shredded in protest over the visit’s message.
- Substance claimed: Reports suggested the King’s meetings fed into a firmer line on Ukraine, though that rests on anonymous or second-hand briefings. Treat with salt.
The sketch
- Scene one: Windsor lawn. Flashbulbs. Caption: “Bromance.” Footnote: “Invited on ministerial advice.”
- Scene two: Banquet toast. Teleprompter reads “values and partnership.” The policy folder is empty.
- Scene three: Morning headlines. Metrics: unclear. Outcomes: to be confirmed.
What to watch, not the show
- The joint statement and any follow-up budgets, not the balcony waves.
- Ukraine commitments in writing, not whispers.
- Trade deliverables with dates and currency signs.
- Who briefed whom, and whether Parliament gets a read-out.
The Hermit take
Ceremony is fine. Call it by its name: optics for leverage. Count what’s signed, not what’s silver.
Keep or toss
Toss the bromance. Keep the receipts.
Sources
What a state visit is and who decides (constitution and practice).
Royal Household explainer: https://www.royal.uk/what-is-a-state-visit
UK Parliament Commons Library: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/what-are-state-visits/
Bangor University explainer: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/cy/newyddion/2025-09-17-why-are-state-visits-such-powerful-diplomatic-tools-a-constitutional-expert
Trump UK state visit schedule and ceremony (Sept 17–18, 2025).
Royal Household notice: https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2025-09-17/state-visit-by-the-president-and-first-lady-of-the-united-states
CBS coverage (procession/banquet): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-uk-visit-starmer-epstein-ambassador-mandelson-royals-britain/
BBC Newscast live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW521cL6WzE
Spin and protest context.
The Guardian (MBE protest over the visit): https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025/sep/25/fashion-livia-giuggioli-colin-firth-shreds-mbe-trump-uk-visit
Ukraine line via briefings (treat with caution).
The Times report on “shift” after private talks: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/king-vital-in-convincing-trump-that-ukraine-can-defeat-russia-5q85kww3m
