President Donald Trump’s carriage procession during his state visit to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, has faced criticism from royal commentators who likened it to an amusement ride rather than a formal royal event.
Richard Eden, a journalist for the Daily Mail and host of the Palace Confidential podcast, criticized the procession through Windsor Castle grounds, which was not open to the public. Eden described it as “a fairground ride to entertain the U.S. president.”
The procession took place on Wednesday morning, September 17, after Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived at Windsor, England, marking an unprecedented second state visit for a sitting U.S. president. They were welcomed by Prince William and Kate Middleton before meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla outside the castle.
Trump rode with King Charles in the lead carriage during the ceremony, while Melania was accompanied by Queen Camilla in the second carriage. The procession moved through the Windsor estate, where a guard of honor awaited the president.
Eden reiterated his criticism when social media users pointed out that security concerns might have required the private nature of the event. He argued that Britain should not be treated as a theme park, emphasizing that the significance of royal processions comes from their public visibility.
Social media users echoed similar views about the closed-door ceremony. One critic compared the private carriage ride to a Disneyland ride, arguing that taxpayers were funding what was essentially treating Trump like a child.
The criticism arose from the deviation from traditional royal carriage processions, which typically occur in public view during significant events such as weddings or occasions like Royal Ascot. Instead, only military and Royal Guard members observed the carriages on the estate.
The state visit included extensive ceremonial elements beyond the contentious carriage ride. The welcoming ceremony featured participation from approximately 1,422 British Armed Forces members, 120 horses, and 200 musicians. Trump received a guard of honor from three British Army regiments and listened to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Gift exchanges occurred privately between the royal couples and the Trumps. Trump presented Queen Camilla with a vintage Tiffany diamond-and-ruby flower brooch and gave King Charles a replica of President Dwight Eisenhower’s sword, symbolizing the U.S.-U.K. alliance during World War II. In return, the monarchs gifted a leather-bound book marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the Union Jack that flew over Buckingham Palace on Trump’s inauguration day.
The visit was not without further controversy. Protesters demonstrated by projecting images of Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein onto the walls of Windsor Castle. Thames Valley Police arrested four individuals for these projection stunts on suspicion of malicious communications.
The royal family embraced the ceremonial aspects despite the criticism. Their official social media accounts shared photos and videos from the visit, including moments from the greeting ceremony and a formal banquet in St. George’s Hall.
Trump expressed enthusiasm for the visit, praising King Charles as elegant and describing both the king and Queen Camilla as longtime friends. He also conveyed appreciation for staying at Windsor Castle, calling it “the ultimate” venue.
The visit concluded with a state banquet attended by 160 guests from the government, finance, technology, and media sectors.
