President Trump has extended a prestigious invitation to former British ambassador to the US, Dame Karen Pierce, to attend the upcoming UK state banquet, according to a report.
The commander in chief is set to travel to England later this month for a historic second state visit, with King Charles and the rest of the royals rolling out the red carpet ahead of the president’s arrival on Sept. 17.
In the lead up to his visit, Trump had reached out to Pierce to generously invite her to the upcoming State Banquet at Windsor Castle, the Telegraph reports.
Sources told the outlet that Pierce, who had served as the ambassador to the US from 2020 to Feb. 2025, is still considered as “one of the UK’s best assets.”
She had previously worked as the UK’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
Should Pierce accept Trump’s offer, she is likely to cross paths with Lord Peter Mandelson, the current British ambassador to the US, who is also expected to attend — though as part of the British delegation.
Mandelson, previously a fierce Trump critic, had called the president a “danger to the world” and “little short of a white nationalist” — but immediately backtracked on his remarks after Trump was re-elected.
“I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong,” he told Fox News in January. “I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed since then..”
“I think people have been impressed not just by the extraordinary second mandate that he has received from the American people, but the dynamism and energy with which he approached not just the campaign but government as well,” he continued.
“I think that he has won fresh respect. He certainly has from me, and that is going to be the basis of all the work I do as his majesty’s ambassador in the United States.”
The banquet is expected to be attended by more than 150 people, including royals, politicians and high-profile public figures that boast links to both the UK and US.
The Post has reached out to the White House and Buckingham Palace for comment.
Trump’s upcoming dash across the pond just so happens to fall on when the UK parliament is in recess, meaning the president will not be addressing parliament — unlike French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit in July.
While the palace hasn’t addressed the reasoning behind the specific dates of Trump’s visit, several Members of Parliament (MPs) had previously urged House of Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, to deny Trump of the honor.
In June, 15 Labour MPs, as well as five others, signed a motion calling on the speakers to not allow Trump to address parliament.
Still, Mandelson told the Times of London that Trump will nonetheless we welcomed with open arms.
“He should expect a warm reception because he really does love Britain. He hugely admires it,” he told the outlet.
Follow The Post’s royal family live blog for the latest pics, news, exclusive details and more
“He trusts Keir Starmer. It’s not a question of expressing our gratitude. My lodestar here is to demonstrate respect, not sycophancy. I don’t think the administration has any problem with that.”
Similar to Macron’s state visit over the summer, Trump will be welcomed at Windsor Castle as Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing an extensive renovation that’s due to end in 2027.
Planning for the official state visit began in June, with a hand-signed formal invitation from the King — also known as the Manu Regia — being hand-delivered to Trump at the White House.
In February, the UK Prime Minister presented the president and First Lady Melania Trump with the royal invitation from King Charles during their meeting in the Oval Office, with the president quickly accepting.
The answer is yes,” Trump responded. “On behalf of our wonderful first lady, Melania, and myself, the answer is yes, and we look forward to being there and honoring the King and honoring, really, your country.”
“Your country is a fantastic country, and it’ll be our honor to be there,” he added.
Trump has made his admiration for the royal family known on many occasions, saying in March that he “loves King Charles.”
Following his inauguration in January, it was reported that senior members of the Firm were being lined up for a US visit in 2026.
Read the full article here