King gives Trump royal welcome on UK visit

WINDSOR, Sept 17 (AFP): Donald Trump was welcomed by King Charles III to Windsor Castle Wednesday with a royal spectacle featuring gun salutes, mounted horses and bagpipes as the US president's historic second state visit got into full swing.

The pair laughed and joked as Trump inspected troops at the castle west of London, in an elaborate welcome designed to play into the mercurial American leader's love of pomp and pageantry.

Some 120 horses, and 1,300 members of the British military-some in red tunics and gold plumed helmets-feted Trump during a ceremonial guard of honour that UK officials called the largest for a state visit to Britain in living memory.

Heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine warmly greeted Trump and First Lady Melania Trump after the Marine One helicopter touched down in the grounds of Windsor at 12:15 pm (1115 GMT).

Inside a ring of steel, under grey skies and out of sight from protesters, William and Catherine then walked Trump and his wife a short distance to meet the waiting Charles and Queen Camilla.

As the president shook hands with the king, a 41-gun salute was fired simultaneously from six World War One-era guns on the castle's east lawn, as a similar display occurred at the Tower of London, in the centre of the capital.