Donald Trump’s planned state visit to the UK in 2018 has been downgraded to a “working visit”, likely forming part of a multi-country tour, it has been reported.
It means the billionaire will not be a guest of the Queen, as was previously envisaged.
Theresa May’s offer of a state visit to the first-term President was greeted with the threat of mass protests by opponents.
Mr Trump’s visit will now take place without the glitz and pomp of a full state visit, the
Evening Standard reported.
A state visit was also opposed by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he was “not sure it is appropriate for our government to roll out the red carpet” for Mr Trump.
Hundreds of thousands of people had signed a petition against the plan.
In July senior Government sources
told The Independent the state visit was still planned for 2018 despite the outrage.
Sources told the
Standard this week a state visit was now being considered for a later, as-yet-undetermined, stage.
During the summer, the White House
denied reports that Mr Trump wanted to delay his visit until he could be sure of a better reception, following a phone call with Theresa May.
The President’s spokesman said: “The subject never came up.”
At the time, Downing Street maintained there had been “no change” to plans for a state visit.
