President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III inspect the guard of honor during an arrival ceremony at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump relished the glow of a British royal spectacle Wednesday, greeted at Windsor Castle on his state visit by King Charles III, military honor guards and mounted troops before paying a private tribute at Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb.

No. No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit. The pomp and pageantry are deliberate, meant to bolster ties with Trump at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements around the globe. For the grandeur-loving president, festivities involved 120 horses and 1,300 troops — including the largest guard of honor in living memory.

Meanwhile, fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez testified before senators on Wednesday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired her after she refused to endorse forthcoming vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence to support the guidance.