Two key members of the royal family were notably absent from the state banquet held at Windsor Castle during Donald Trump’s US state visit. While the King, Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales were present to welcome Trump and First Lady Melania, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, were not in attendance.

Their absence was attributed to their upcoming four-day visit to Japan, scheduled to begin the following day. The royal couple’s itinerary includes engagements in Tokyo and Osaka, focusing on themes such as youth opportunity, sustainability, innovation, education, and women in leadership to strengthen the UK-Japan relationship.

During their visit, the Duke and Duchess will visit the UK and Japanese Pavilions at EXPO 2025, Osaka, to address global issues by bringing together people and innovations from around the world. This visit marks a significant international role for the Duchess of Edinburgh, who recently traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

Although Edward and Sophie missed the US state banquet, they were present during the French state visit in July. The state banquet concluded the second day of President Trump’s visit to the UK, which included ceremonial welcomes and interactions with members of the royal family, followed by a carriage procession and special military displays at Windsor Castle.

The traditional grand state banquet at Windsor Castle, featuring speeches from Mr. Trump and Prince Charles, marked a glamorous highlight of the visit.