Windsor banquet Who sat next to whom at state dinner - and what does it tell us?

Buckingham Palace has disclosed a wealth of detail about the state banquet at Windsor Castle hosted by the king for Donald Trump - from the 139 candles to the 1,452 pieces of cutlery, all lovingly polished by hand - but all that anyone really wants to know about is the seating plan.

- Daniel Boffey Chief reporter

In Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall, the 50-metre-long table runs the length of the room, offering a tantalising indication of a pecking order among the 160 guests.

The arrangements were said to be the work of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the royal household, and protocol has its place.

However, there is no doubt that Downing Street and the White House had a strong steer, adding to the intrigue around who was next to whom.

After a gruelling period of media attention, did Keir Starmer’s under-fire chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, want to pull the ear of Rupert Murdoch, who was placed by his side? Was it Princess Anne’s decision to sit within shouting distance of Rachel Reeves, who was on the other side of the US ambassador, Warren Stephens?

The king’s sister is said to be upset with the chancellor over her changes to the inheritance laws in relation to farms. Or perhaps it was Reeves’s doing and she harbours a secret interest in equestrian sports?

There was no need for an anxious look for a name card on entering the hall. The guests were asked to walk in two by two, giving them a strong steer as to their allocated places.

They were serenaded by an orchestra on the balcony above as they did so, one of the compositions being You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones.

Donald Trump and the Princess of Wales