British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Donald Trump to his country home of Chequers for talks on issues including trade, Ukraine and Gaza after the US president hailed his second state visit to the UK as the "highest honour".
After a day of royal pomp and pageantry at Windsor Castle, Starmer trumpeted the announcement of £150 billion ($307 million) of investment into the UK from US giants including Microsoft and Blackstone.
"Jobs, growth and opportunity is what I promised for working people, and it's exactly what this state visit is delivering," Starmer said on Thursday morning UK time.
The British prime minister has positioned himself as a bridge between the unpredictable US leader and European allies, particularly on the war in Ukraine, in a bid to secure more commitments for Kyiv from Trump.
It was all smiles for the US leader on Wednesday as he was lavished with the full pomp and circumstance of the British state.
King Charles III welcomed Trump to Windsor Castle with a royal spectacle featuring gun salutes, mounted horses and bagpipes.
Around 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 British officials called the largest for a state visit in living memory.
The president and Charles ended the day with a white-tie state banquet, attended by 160 guests including senior royals, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Apple CEO Tim Cook and golfer Nick Faldo.
The first day of Donald Trump's state visit to the UK concluded with a banquet at Windsor Castle. Source: AAP / Phil Noble
In his speech, the king praised Trump's "personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world's most intractable conflicts".
But he stressed too the environmental obligations leaders had to "our children, grandchildren, and those who come after them".
First Lady Melania Trump remained in Windsor on Thursday morning, where she was due to view Queen Mary's Dolls' House with Queen Camilla.
Protesters marched through central London to oppose the presence and policies of Donald Trump during his state visit to the UK. Source: Getty / Guy Smallman
An estimated 5,000 people marched through central London on Wednesday, waving Palestinian flags and displaying banners with slogans including "Migrants welcome, Trump not welcome".
