Latest news with #statevisit
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
King and Queen stranded in Chile due to faulty plane
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are stranded in Chile due to a fault with their plane. Following a three-day state visit to the country at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, the Belgian royals were due to depart from Antofagasta Airport on Thursday. However, the Airbus A340-300 carrying Philippe, 65, and Mathilde, 52, along with government officials, business leaders, academics, and media representatives, 'rattled' and fell 'silent' while being taxied to the runway, HLN reported. Shortly after, passengers were informed that the aircraft was damaged and take-off would be delayed 'by several hours', but the flight was later cancelled with sources saying 'a tire was destroyed.' The plane now needs a replacement wheel before it can attempt another take off, meaning it's unclear when the return flight will depart. During the first Belgian state visit to Latin America in 60 years, the couple enjoyed a welcome ceremony at La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago. But their short trip to Chile has been marred by travel issues because the outbound flight was also delayed by 24 hours due to technical difficulties. Philippe and Mathilde were due to depart from Melsbroek Airport at 9am last Sunday, but were told the night before that their plane was suffering technical issues. They eventually took off 24 hours later on Monday morning in the 24-year-old Airbus, which had been grounded since May 18. The mishap comes after Queen Mathilde experienced another terrifying start to a royal visit after her plane was forced to make an emergency landing in February. The Belgian royal was on her way to Costa Rica when her plane was forced to carry out a priority landing after it suffered a crack to the windshield during the flight. Mathilde was headed to the country for a three-day solo trip organised by UNICEF Belgium and UNICEF Costa Rica when the aircraft suffered the frightening crack. Luckily, staff onboard steered the royal to safety, with the aircraft landing at San José Juan Santamaria International airport just 15 minutes ahead of schedule. While the incident likely sparked concern for the crew onboard, it appeared the incident was unbeknownst to their royal passengers who arrived unscathed and none-the-wiser of the stressful ordeal. Writing on X, royal commentator, Wim Dehandschutter, wrote: 'The airplane with Belgian Queen Mathilde landed in Costa Rica with a cracked windshield, according to this account and local media.' 'I was on that flight. As passengers, we didn't notice anything, and we didn't receive any notification during the flight or upon landing.' He added: 'Our KLM flight did leave Schiphol 20 minutes late, there was turbulence - as on many flights - and the landing was quite hard, but nothing seemed to be alarming. So I was a bit surprised when I read reports in the local media and on X about the 'emergency landing'. It comes after King Philippe of Belgium discussed whether he has plans to abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest child in an interview. The 65-year-old Belgian king answered 30 questions put forward by the public in a video shared by the Belgian Royal Palace. One question asked Philippe, who is married to Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 52, about his plans for abdication, if any. 'A King steps back, but is not retired,' Philippe answered when translated to English via Hola. Should Philippe one day choose to abdicate, his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, 23, will ascend the throne. In his answer, Philippe continued, 'I will continue to work for Belgium and I must give my daughter time to enjoy her youth, develop herself and see the world and I support her 100 percent in that and I will do everything I can to give her all the time she needs to do.' Philippe's father, King Albert of Belgium, abdicated in 2013 after a 20-year reign, clearing the way for his son, Philippe, to take over as the nation's king. Aged 53 at the time, then-Prince Philippe took the oath before the nation's legislators at the Parliament building, a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city. The future Belgian queen has certainly made the most of her youth, and is currently studying at Harvard University after finishing her undergraduate degree at Oxford University. In photos shared on the Belgian royal family's official Instagram page last September, Elisabeth appeared excited to settle into her all-American life amid reports she was already a highly sought-after companion among her peers. The Princess is currently enrolled in a two-year Master's program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Away from her royal duties, Elisabeth has embraced life as a student as she was pictured on the first day of term wearing an understated, yet chic, ensemble - complete with sneakers - in portraits shared by the Palace. The royal enrolled at the institution under the name 'Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg' at Harvard Kennedy School.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
King Charles to host Trump in second UK state visit
Donald Trump accepted an invitation from King Charles for a second state visit in February. (AFP pic) LONDON : King Charles will host US President Donald Trump for his unprecedented second state visit to Britain later this year, Buckingham Palace confirmed today. Trump accepted an invitation from Charles for a second state visit in February, making the US president the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch. 'Your country is a fantastic country and it'll be our honour to be there,' Trump said after prime minister Keir Starmer handed him a handwritten letter from Charles in the Oval Office, describing the king as 'a beautiful man'. No date was set at the time for the event which Britain hopes will help cement close ties between the two allies at a time of global upheaval, and one that is always marked by lavish displays of pomp and pageantry. 'His majesty has known president Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the first lady later this year,' a palace aide said. Last week, the 'Manu Regia', an official signed invitation from the monarch which signals the start of formal planning, was hand-delivered to the White House by British representatives, with confirmation of the exact date for the trip to follow. Initially there were expectations that Trump would first come to Britain for a short trip where he would meet the king for a private meeting, ahead of the formal state visit. But it had proved impossible to find a suitable date in their diaries over the summer so planning for the state visit has begun instead, a palace source said. British state visits usually include a carriage ride through central London and a lavish state banquet, but it is not clear yet where Trump will be hosted. The late Queen Elizabeth welcomed Trump to Buckingham Palace for a three-day state visit in June 2019 during his first term in office, during which he had a private lunch with the sovereign, as well as having tea with Charles, who was then heir. That visit already put Trump in a select group of US presidents, as only Barack Obama and George W Bush were afforded official state visits to Britain during Elizabeth's record 70 years on the throne. Trump was also invited to tea at Windsor Castle, the monarch's home to the west of London during a trip to Britain in 2018. Both his visits to Britain also attracted large protests, with his 2018 trip costing police more than £14 million as 10,000 officers were deployed from all over Britain.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump state visit shows the King has won the battle for Canada
The fest, as Donald Trump likes to call it, is coming. The King will host the US president in September for a full state visit after plans were put on fast forward by the Government. The upgraded visit, originally proposed as a semi-private trip to see the King in Scotland, will give team Trump the 'full bells and whistles' treatment and be based at Windsor Castle for the finest soft power the UK can throw at them. It is said to have caused tension between the palace and Government, placing the King in the unenviable position of formally hosting a head of state who has threatened to annex one of his own realms. After reports of the Prime Minister going 'against the wishes of the King', a Downing Street spokesman denied that Sir Keir Starmer had 'overruled' him when negotiating with the White House. Palace sources dismissed the idea that there is tension between the King and Sir Keir, emphasising that the monarch acts on the advice of the Government. 'His Majesty has known president Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the first lady later this year,' a palace aide said. The message? The red carpet will be rolled out as usual. It is no secret though that the US state visit has proven one of the thorniest issues for the King on this year's diplomatic stage. Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada, insisting relentlessly that it should be America's '51st state'. The UK nevertheless invited him to be honoured. In turn, Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, said his countrymen ' weren't impressed ' by the state visit invitation. British diplomats noted that Mr Carney risked breaching the convention that realms tend not to publicly criticise one another. However, the King stepped up. As Canadian sovereign, he was dragged willingly into Canada's plans to show its own power. The King's involvement saw him fly to Ottawa in May for less than 24 hours on Canadian soil to deliver a speech at its parliament, reminding the world it is 'strong and free'. It was rightly interpreted as a public rebuke of Mr Trump's ambitions. One senior palace source said it was intended as 'thought-provoking, not provocative'. The King was, they said, 'leveraging on the long relationships he has built over the years' and using his role 'to the benefit of all the realms and commonwealth nations at a time of great international challenge'. Then, the idea of hosting Mr Trump in September seemed a challenge. However, the storyline has moved on. Some would argue, in fact, that the firming up of plans for the US state visit is a sign that the King has quietly won the battle for Canada. Everyone is aware of the 'diplomatic tightrope' the King has been walking, said one source, but he has done so with 'great skill'. 'I don't think anyone is now in doubt about the King's support and affection for Canada,' they said. When he is photographed shaking hands with Mr Trump, it is believed there will be no hurt feelings from Canadians who have already heard about the King's allegiance in person. Last week, Mr Carney said he no longer believes Mr Trump is interested in a '51st state' plan. Asked by CNN whether the US president is still threatening to annex Canada, he said: 'No, he is not.' 'He admires Canada,' he added. 'I think it's fair to say maybe for a period of time [he] coveted Canada.' The UK Government, which has prioritised trade deals and defence rather than siding with Canada in any war of words, has stuck to the basic party line that Canada is an 'independent, sovereign nation'. It is a matter of some satisfaction in British diplomatic circles that Mr Trump's rhetoric has dialled down drastically. 'We haven't heard much about Canada, have we?' one source asked of the past few weeks. The King's transatlantic show of force, it seems, has worked. Mr Trump has got his way when it comes to the details of the state visit. His team made it clear that the original suggestion of a low-key trip to see the King was not the order of the day. 'The president loves the pomp and ceremony,' said one source familiar with the negotiations. 'He doesn't want a private photograph with the Royal family – he wants a public one.' Mr Trump has described it as a 'fest', denoting the high level of flattery and fun he expects. The manu regia – the formal paperwork cementing the invitation – was signed by the King last week and hand delivered to the White House by representatives from the British Embassy in Washington. The King hopes to return to Canada at some point soon. Before then, he will raise a toast to the US at a state banquet in September with Mr Trump by his side. If the King's inevitable praise for America and Americans can be heard without guests' minds leaping immediately to Canada, the palace can consider it a job well done. It is a strategy not without risk, but high stakes can produce high rewards. It could – and should – be the moment that the idea of America invading its nearest neighbour is finally put to rest.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
U.S. President Trump will skip a preliminary visit to the U.K. and make a full state visit later this year
U.S. President Donald Trump and then-Prince Charles inspect the Guard of Honor at Buckingham Palace, June 3, 2019, in London. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) LONDON — U.S. President Donald Trump plans to make a full state visit to Britain later this year, bypassing a suggestion put forward by King Charles III that the two men first meet informally over the summer when both are expected to be in Scotland. Complexities in both the monarch's and the president's schedules put the kibosh on the idea, Britain's Press Association reported. The hand-signed formal invitation for the state visit, known as the Manu Regia, was hand-delivered to the White House last week by representatives of the British Embassy in Washington. The invitation formalizes Trump's unprecedented second state visit to Britain, which was first suggested in a letter from the king that Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered to the president in February during a meeting at the White House. A date for the state visit has not yet been announced. The visit is seen as part of Starmer's effort to curry favour with Trump and lessen the impact of his America First policies on the United Kingdom. But the visit is controversial in Britain, where some lawmakers from Starmer's Labour Party have questioned whether the honor should be extended to Trump at a time that he is supporting Israel's war in Gaza and threatening the sovereignty of allies such as Canada and Greenland. Charles will face his own challenges during the visit because he is head of state of both the United Kingdom and Canada, which Trump has suggested should become the 51st U.S. state. During a speech to the Canadian parliament last month, the king highlighted Canada's 'unique identity' and 'sovereignty,' while echoing the words of the country's national anthem when he said 'The True North is indeed strong and free.' As a constitutional monarch, Charles acts on behalf of the elected government when he extends invitations for state visits. Still, such visits are coveted by many world leaders because it comes with all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the royal family. Visiting heads of state are normally greeted by the monarch before reviewing a cadre of troops in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats. There is often a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and a glittering state banquet in addition to bilateral meetings with top government officials. 'He's a beautiful man' Trump revelled in the ceremony during his first state visit in 2019, hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II. 'He's a beautiful man, a wonderful man, and we appreciate it,' Trump said of Charles when he accepted the invitation in February. 'I've gotten to know him very well, actually. First term and now second term.' Despite those warm words, Trump didn't take Charles up on his offer of an informal meeting this summer at one of the royal estates in Scotland, where the king normally spends his August holidays. Trump is expected to visit his golf courses in Scotland at about the same time. 'Quite apart from presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second State Visit to the United Kingdom' including questions such as 'location and content,' Charles wrote in his preliminary invitation. The Times of London reported that Starmer had gone against the wishes of the king by bringing Trump's state visit forward to September. The newspaper said the palace had been hoping for a more leisurely approach building towards the state visit, amid concern over Trump's designs on Canada. A spokesman for Starmer said it wasn't true that the prime minister had overruled Buckingham Palace on the timing. Geraint Ellis said that when Starmer visited the White House in February, he had been 'delighted to extend' Charles' invitation for a second state visit. 'We look forward to welcoming President Trump to the U.K.,' he said, adding that details of the visit were a matter for the palace. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. Danica Kirka, The Associated Press
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump's state visit to the UK to take place this year, says Buckingham Palace
The United Kingdom will host Donald Trump for a state visit this year, but King Charles and the US president won't be able to meet informally over the summer due to their busy diaries, CNN understands. The 'Manu Regia' – a formal invitation signed by the British monarch – was hand delivered to the White House by representatives of the British embassy in Washington last week. Charles, 76, had initially suggested in a letter delivered to Trump in the Oval Office in February by the UK prime minister that the pair could first meet in Scotland at Dumfries House or Balmoral ahead of the grand official visit. However, it would seem that scheduling challenges have taken that option off the table. It has been said that the logistical reasons preventing the private meeting from taking place before the state visit were entirely understood and appreciated by all parties. 'His Majesty has known President Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the First Lady later this year,' a palace aide told CNN. The palace's confirmation of the upcoming trip means that formal planning for Trump's state visit is now underway. The exact dates have not yet been announced but September is being touted by many as most likely. The late Queen Elizabeth II previously hosted Trump for a three-day state visit to the UK in 2019 during his first term in office. Generally, second-term presidents are offered lunch or tea with the monarch at Windsor Castle. That was the case for Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. But the offer of an 'unprecedented' second state visit was extended on the king's behalf by Keir Starmer during a visit to DC four months ago, which Trump enthusiastically accepted.
