No U.S. president has been invited by the royal family for a second state visit. Trump, who has vocally supported the royal family, was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, where she held a banquet in his honor.

While former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama made second state visits to the U.K. during their second terms, their visits involved a casual lunch or tea with the monarch, rather than in a more formal manner. 

State visits are ceremonial meetings between heads of state, usually held to honor friendly nations and smooth relations between rival countries. King Charles issued the invitation but did so on the government’s advice. 

King Charles suggested a second visit in February, sending Trump a letter delivered by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer was surprised by the second invitation, saying, “This has never happened before; this is unprecedented.” 

Trump responded to the letter, stating it’s a “great, great honor.” 

The dates of Trump’s visit remove any way for him to address Parliament. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Obama both made speeches to Parliament during their state visits. French President Emmanuel Macron addressed Parliament last week during his first state visit.

However, a Trump speech could cause controversy, with MPs urging House of Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, to refuse the president the honor of doing so. 

Trump’s visit in 2019 also sparked debate, with protesters meeting outside Parliament holding a giant balloon of Trump as an angry baby. 

The visit is suspected to be part of Starmer’s efforts to keep Trump close and lessen the impact of U.S. policies on the U.K., especially because of new tariffs other countries are seeing, according to ABC News.

The announcement comes after Starmer courted Trump’s favor on tariff negotiations, which have thrown a wrench into the Labour Party’s efforts to grow the U.K. economy — shrinking it by 0.3% in April. 

In June, Trump lowered tariffs on the U.K.’s aerospace sector to zero, but imports of British steel products continue to face a 25% duty.

King Charles could also face difficulties during the visit, as he is the head of state for both the U.K. and Canada. Trump previously suggested that Canada should become the 51st state of the U.S. In May, the king rebutted this in a speech to the Canadian parliament, highlighting Canada’s “unique identity” and “sovereignty.”

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State visits to the U.K. are highly anticipated by heads of state because they normally include military reviews, carriage rides, and a banquet hosted by the monarch.

Heads of state are normally hosted at Buckingham Palace, but due to renovations and remodeling, Trump and the first lady will be staying at Windsor Castle, just 30 miles outside of London.