Trump's Windsor carriage ride with King Charles sparks criticism

President Donald Trump was welcomed to Windsor Castle on Wednesday with a private carriage procession alongside King Charles III.

The display of pageantry marked the opening of Trump's  state visit to the United Kingdom.

Trump and the king rode together in the lead carriage through the castle grounds, followed by Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump. 

Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, joined by US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens.

While the scene offered a striking tableau of US–UK. ties, not all observers were impressed. 

Richard Eden, diary editor of the Daily Mail and a well-known royal commentator, criticized the format as a departure from tradition.

“This private carriage procession round the grounds of Windsor Castle is embarrassing, like a fairground ride to entertain the US. President,” Eden wrote on social media. “The whole point of a royal carriage procession is so the public can see you.”

Royal carriage processions are typically staged on London’s ceremonial routes, where crowds can gather to watch. 

Wednesday’s event, held entirely within Windsor’s private grounds, highlighted both the close royal welcome for Trump and the debate over balancing tradition with diplomacy.