President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK is in fresh doubt after there was no mention of it in the Queen’s Speech. The Pesident accepted the Queen’s invitation for him to travel to Britain when Prime Minister Theresa May visited Washington in January.
Reports have emerged that Trump has changed his mind and does not want to visit while there is potential for protests against him.
“The two governments are discussing dates,” a Trump official told the BBC.
Number 10 said the Queen had not mentioned the visit because no date had been set. Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament saw the monarch announce the government’s legislative programme for the next two years. The Queen also uses the speech to set out her official plans for the year. She said she looked forward to welcoming King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain for their state visit in July, and hosting the Commonwealth summit in April next year.
However, Trump’s state visit was not mentioned. October had been suggested as a possible date, BBC reads.
“An invitation has been extended and accepted. The visit wasn’t mentioned in the Queen’s Speech because a date hasn’t been fixed yet,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
“Her Majesty extended an invitation to the president. He’s accepted that invitation. And we look forward to scheduling that trip, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in his latest statement.
“There is nothing that was scheduled and we look forward to working out a mutually acceptable date with the United Kingdom, and look forward to sharing that date,” Spicer added.
Be the first to comment