Donald Trump will be in the UK later this month for a state visit, but two senior working members of the Royal Family will not be there to show him the sights.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be co-hosting Donald Trump’s state visit, but it appears Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, have made other plans (Image: Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are slated to jet off to Japan later this month, a trip that coincides with President Donald Trump‘s momentous second state visit to the UK.
This scheduling conflict means that the royal couple, who will be in Japan from September 18th to 22nd, will be conspicuously absent from all events related to Trump’s visit, which is scheduled for September 17th to 19th.
Sophie and Edward‘s journey is intended to honor the robust bilateral ties between the UK and Japan, reports Daily Express UK.
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The Duke, 61, and Duchess, 60, will participate in engagements in Osaka and Tokyo that highlight shared themes in both nations, such as youth opportunity, sustainability and innovation, education for the next generation, and women in leadership roles.
During their stay, they’ll tour the UK and Japanese Pavilions at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Kansai.
Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a state visit, which will be his second (Image: GETTY)
As the most significant international event in Japan this decade, the goal is to gather people and innovations from across the globe to tackle worldwide issues.
Trump will be in the UK from September 17 – 19
Before setting foot in Japan, Edward will be in Papua New Guinea from September 14th to 17th, necessitating a direct trip to Japan from there.
This solo trip, without Sophie, is planned to attend festivities commemorating the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence from Australia.
Edward and Sophie will be in Japan during his visit
Edward will partake in a dawn flag-raising ceremony and a State Dinner to celebrate the milestone.
During his visit, Edward will represent the King and present new Regimental Colours to the First Royal Pacific Islands Regiment, as well as bestow 50th Independence Anniversary King’s Medals.
These honors will be given to individuals who have made significant contributions to Papua New Guinea.