It has been announced that the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife Brigitte Macron, will pay a state visit to the UK from 8–10 July 2025. The King and Queen will host the President and Mrs Macron at Windsor Castle.
This Insight looks at the history of state visits, their usual format and the involvement of Parliament.
What is a state visit?
Foreign monarchs, presidents or prime ministers are invited to visit King Charles III on the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). These are known as “inbound” state visits. For “outbound” state visits, invitations are issued, via the FCDO, to His Majesty the King to travel overseas.
State visits do not occur between the UK and the 14 other Commonwealth realms (such as Australia or Canada) as they all share the King as head of state. If the King visits another Commonwealth realm he does so as monarch of that country and it is described as a “royal visit”.
In July 1981, the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said a state visit should:
promote the interests of the United Kingdom, be welcome to the hosts, and in keeping with the duties and dignity of the Royal Family.
The understanding of “state visit” has changed over time. During the 19th century, the term was used to describe an occasion on which the King or Queen visited a city or part of the UK, or even the theatre. It meant that the monarch was visiting in an official rather than private capacity. In 1857, the then Chancellor said of Queen Victoria’s visit to Emperor Louis Napoleon in Paris that it:
was not made merely with a view to the private and personal gratification of the Sovereign, but for the public good, as was well understood at the time, and it was accepted by the Emperor Napoleon as a public, national, and State visit.
Very few inbound state visits took place before the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. According to the Royal Family website, she hosted around 112 state visits between her accession in 1952 and her death in 2022. The late Queen also made 89 outbound state visits between 1955 and 2015.
Process and responsibility for a state visit
The “principals” involved in a state visit are invited to the UK as guests of the King. An invitation to visit is usually issued privately, although in the case of President Trump’s forthcoming second state visit, the invitation was presented personally by the Prime Minister at the White House.
The FCDO covers the cost of accommodation, transport, food and incidentals (to a set limit) in the UK for the Official Delegation (which is the principal plus a maximum of 10 ministers or senior officials) during the official programme only. International air fares for the visiting delegation are the responsibility of the government concerned.
Costs for state visits vary depending on the rank of the principal, the length of the visit, numbers in the delegation and individual programme requirements. The King and other members of the Royal Family receive similar treatment on some outbound visits overseas. On those occasions, the host country covers the costs.
State visit delegation lists are published in the Court Circular during the visit. By custom, the annual King’s Speech will refer to past or upcoming inbound and outbound state visits.
Format of a state visit
Inbound state visits usually involve certain ceremonial elements.
A state visit usually starts with an official reception at either Horse Guards in London, Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. This ceremonial welcome is attended by the King and other senior members of the Royal Family.
Once the King and other dignitaries have met the visitor, they will normally inspect a Guard of Honour provided by one of the Battalions or Incremental Companies of the Household Division. The Captain of the Guard will always present the Guard in the language of the visiting head of state.
After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the visiting president or monarch then travels by open carriage with the King to Buckingham Palace with the Household Cavalry providing a Sovereign’s Escort.
Around 150 guests are then invited to Buckingham Palace or occasionally Windsor Castle for a state banquet. The King formally welcomes the visitor, who then makes a reply.
Parliament and a state visit
State visits can include a parliamentary element, usually a speech in the Royal Gallery or, for certain visitors, to both Houses in Westminster Hall.
According to the Hansard Society:
If it is agreed between the UK government and the visiting head of state that the programme should include a formal address to Parliament, the decision as to whether to issue an invitation rests formally with Parliament, in the shape of the Speakers of the two Houses. In the case of a State Visit, the Lord Chamberlain’s Office writes to the two Speakers on behalf of the [King] to ask them to host [his] visitor.
Amid speculation regarding a state visit from President Trump during his first term in office, in February 2017 Speaker Bercow told the House of Commons he was “strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall” and “would not wish to issue an invitation” to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery.
About the author: Dr David Torrance is a researcher at the House of Commons Library, specialising in monarchy and the constitution.
Photo by: Sergeant Adrian Harlen via Wikimedia Commons
