Macron to beat Trump to UK state visit - report

Emmanuel Macron will reportedly be given a state visit to the UK before Donald Trump's expected visit in September.

The French president received an invitation from the King to travel to the UK at the end of May, according to The Sunday Times.

The paper said few government and royal officials know the details of the engagement, which would be Mr Macron's first state visit to Britain and come eight years after he took office.

'Trump-fest'

It comes after Mr Trump suggested Buckingham Palace was "setting a date for September" for him to meet the King.

He said: "They're going to do a second, as you know, a second fest … that's what it is: a fest, and it's beautiful, and it's the first time it's ever happened to one person."

Previously, US presidents who have already made a state visit, such as George W Bush and Barack Obama, usually have tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle.

But Sir Keir Starmer handed Mr Trump what he described as a "truly historic" personal invitation from the King for a second state visit when he visited the White House in February.

Reports suggest the venue is expected to be Windsor Castle, rather than Balmoral or Dumfries House, as previously thought.

Mr Macron's visit is also expected to take place at Windsor due to refurbishment at Buckingham Palace.

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Sir Keir has repeatedly insisted he does not need to choose between pursuing a closer relationship with Europe and strengthening US-UK trade.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to speak with her American counterparts next week about the prospect of a wider economic agreement to alleviate the impact of Mr Trump's 10% tariffs on all goods entering America.

But ministers have said Britain must look at co-ordinating better across Europe in order to protect the country's economy.

Sir Keir and Mr Macron have been cooperating closely on defence, with both leaders pushing for an Anglo-French-led "coalition of the willing" to defend any potential peace deal in Ukraine.

Downing Street declined to comment.