Why are state visits such potent diplomatic tools?

What happens beyond the pomp - and what role does the king play? Constitutional expert Stephen Clear, of Bangor University, explains

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THE US president and first lady, at the king's invitation, are on a state visit to the UK and will stay at Windsor Castle.

The event is laden with ceremony and glitz, but it also carries great political potential - for the host nation in particular.

Formal visits by foreign heads of state are generally aimed at strengthening international relationships. The invitation for this visit was handed to Donald Trump in the Oval Office, on camera, by Keir Starmer at a time when the British prime minister was seeking to act as the bridge between the US and Europe over the war in Ukraine.

While many countries have state visits, their ceremonial style varies. In the US, ceremonial honours usually involve arrival on the White House south lawn, accompanied by a military band, 21-gun salute and then a state dinner. But it is the scale and grandeur of the UK's carriage processions, state banquets, speeches in parliament and military pageantry, tied to the monarchy's long history, which make them a powerful diplomatic tool for the UK. Trump has made no secret of his delight at being invited for an unprecedented second state visit.

Trump's praise of the Royal Family is testament to the soft power at work here. An offer of an audience with the King can deepen diplomatic ties. In this instance, it's a powerful tool for enhancing the UK-US relationship.

How state visits work

In the UK, the procedures surrounding state visits are guided by conventions (traditions) and protocols. The prerogative - the government's residue discretionary power - also comes into play.