May, in a long crimson dress, and her husband, Philip May, walked down a long red carpet to greet their American guests as they made the long, dramatic drive up to the front of the palace.
Dan Kitwood/Getty ImagesBritain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May greet President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Blenheim Palace on July 12, 2018 in Woodstock, England.
Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty ImagesBritain’s Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and her husband Philip May (2R) walk with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump as the president and the first lady arrive for a dinner at Blenheim Palace, west of London, July 12, 2018.
After shaking hands, the Trumps and Mays turned to take in the scene.
Trump split off from his wife to instead walk at a clip with Prime Minister May. Melania Trump walked up to the steps of Blenheim with May’s husband at her side.
As they stood in front of Blenheim, Trump appeared delighted by the rows of British Army guards wearing formal black bearskin hats and the military band that marched around the Grand Court. He kept nodding his head, gesturing to May and Trump, and looked very pleased with the welcoming.
At the end of the ceremony, the military band played a rendition of “Amazing Grace” with a bagpipe solo.
It isn’t a state visit, but it began with all the pageantry that President Trump has shown such an appreciation for on previous foreign trips.
Geoff Pugh – WPA Pool/Getty ImagesFirst Lady Melania Trump arrives at Blenheim Palace on July 12, 2018, in Woodstock, England.
He frequently talks about the grand arrival ceremonies that kicked off every stop on his whirlwind tour of Asia last November, when it seemed as if each world leader was trying to outdo their counterpart on the previous stop.
Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty ImagesBritain’s Prime Minister Theresa May (R) President Donald Trump and his wife First Lady Melania Trump stand on steps in the Great Court watching and listening to bands perform a ceremonial welcome at Blenheim Palace, west of London, July 12, 2018.
AFP/Getty ImagesFirst Lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and Philip May, stand on steps in the Great Court watching and listening to bands as they arrive for dinner at Blenheim Palace, west of London, July 12, 2018.
Trump notices every detail – the military bands, cannons, young children waving American flags- and takes it as a sign of respect for him and the United States.
“They say in the history of people coming to China there has been nothing like that. And I believe it,” the president said last year of the welcome he was shown by China’s President Xi.
The president has mentioned that greeting several times since then – and its likely Thursday’s grand welcome in Britain will stick with him and become a favorite talking point.
On Friday, Trump will meet with May at Chequers and another meeting with the Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Palace.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
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