President Trump is finally going to London after postponing the trip twice. The White House announced Thursday that the Trump U.K. visit is scheduled for July 13th, aka Friday the 13th.
This will reportedly be a “working visit” with Prime Minister Theresa May, though full details haven’t been disclosed yet. May’s Downing Street office confirmed the news, and British Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Darroch posted the following on Twitter:
Delighted that President @realDonaldTrump will visit the UK on 13 July and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister May.
— Kim Darroch (@KimDarroch) April 26, 2018
Will the queen be included in this Trump U.K. visit?
As of now, it’s not 100 percent certain that Trump will meet with the queen. TIME reports that it won’t be happening, while BBC says it is “likely” to happen — and that if they do meet, it will either be at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
The Guardian, however, reports the two are scheduled to see each other.
Wasn’t the Trump U.K. visit supposed to happen already?
Yes. Trump was supposed to meet the queen in October 2017, but Londoners were quick to protest. A petition to boycott Trump from making an official state visit garnered 1.5 million-plus signatures.
“Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen,” it stated.
In January, Trump canceled another London visit.
Though it’s unclear whether or not Trump will be meeting Her Majesty, The Guardian reports that the July 13th trip will not be an official state visit for the books. This means he will not be welcomed in the queen’s gold-plated carriage like he’d requested upon his scheduled — then postponed — October trip. He also reportedly won’t be honored with an “official banquet” at Buckingham Palace.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, tweeted on Thursday, “If he comes to London, President Trump will experience an open and diverse city that has always chosen unity over division and hope over fear. He will also no doubt see that Londoners hold their liberal values of freedom of speech very dear.”
According to The Guardian, human rights groups are already vowing to protest against the upcoming Trump U.K. visit.
“Since moving into the White House, Mr. Trump has shown an impatience bordering on intolerance toward peaceful protests, the media and even the democratic process itself,” Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said in a statement. “So his visit to Britain will be an important opportunity to underline the importance of free speech and the right to protest.”
The spooky Trump U.K. visit: Friday the 13th
Superstitious Twitter users posted about the unlucky date:
Friday the 13th of July. What could possibly go wrong? #TrumpVisit pic.twitter.com/MpLnnpFuBg
— Michael Gravesande (@OldBlackHack) April 26, 2018
Donald Trump arriving in the UK on Friday the 13th at least increases his chances of slipping on a banana skin or a pigeon shitting on his head.
— Mike P Williams ? (@Mike_P_Williams) April 26, 2018
Trump will visit the UK on Friday 13th July. Never believed in the Friday 13th myth… until today
— Max Vine (@MrMaxVine) April 26, 2018
Oh goody, I here that President Donald Trump is paying us a visit on Friday the 13th July.
I do hope nothing unlucky happens for him while he is here. pic.twitter.com/ymK3XQz73T
— Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (@HRHCatherine) April 26, 2018
Will the visit play out like it’s supposed to? Time will only tell.
