Nato summit: Donald Trump attends reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace amid protests

George Martin
Updated

Donald Trump visited the Queen on Tuesday night as Buckingham Palace hosted the Nato summit.

The US President and other Nato leaders took part in a formal reception at the Queen’s London residence attended by public figures including Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson.

Outside, hundreds of people, including scores of nurses and doctors, descended on the gates of the famous building to protest Mr Trump’s visit and his controversial comments about the NHS.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall formally greeted the Nato leaders at the reception, which was held to coincide with the 70 year anniversary of the alliance.

Queen Elizabeth posing with the Nato leaders on Tuesday. (PA)
Queen Elizabeth posing with the Nato leaders on Tuesday. (PA)
The Queen speaking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) at the reception. (PA)
The Queen speaking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) at the reception. (PA)

Other royals including the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl of Wessex, and the Princess Royal, were also in attendance.

Prior to the reception at the Palace, the President was also given a warm welcome by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump met Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at Winfield House in Regent’s Park in London.

During a press conference following the meeting Mr Trump attacked France’s Emmanuel Macron, Barack Obama and the Democrats.

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When asked about the upcoming British election, he claimed he was not getting involved, saying “I don’t want to complicate it”, before boasting of all the US electoral candidates he had helped win seats in midterm elections.

The president also denied claims the US was eyeing up the NHS, saying “we wouldn’t want it even if it was offered to us on a silver platter”.

When asked about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he said: “I can work with him. I’m a very easy man to work with.”

The president also used the time to criticise French president Mr Macron for his claim Nato is “brain dead” and to attack the current impeachment proceedings against him.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: U.S. President Donald Trump's convoy passes Buckingham Palace on day one of the NATO Leaders Summit on December 3, 2019 in London, England. France and the UK signed the Treaty of Dunkirk in 1947 in the aftermath of WW2 cementing a mutual alliance in the event of an attack by Germany or the Soviet Union. The Benelux countries joined the Treaty and in April 1949 expanded further to include North America and Canada followed by Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. This new military alliance became the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The organisation grew with Greece and Turkey becoming members and a re-armed West Germany was permitted in 1955. This encouraged the creation of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact delineating the two sides of the Cold War. This year marks the 70th anniversary of NATO. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
The President's motorcade outside the Palace. (Getty)
People gather in Trafalgar Square, London, for a "Hands off our NHS" protest against Donald Trump, who is in the capital as Nato leaders gather to mark 70 years of the alliance.
Thousands lined the streets of London to protest his visit. (PA)

The two men met later at the US ambassador’s residence in London, Mr Trump acknowledged the need for greater “flexibility” in the way in which Nato responded to global threats.

Mr Macron in turn accepted the US had “over-invested” in the alliance for “decade after decade” – a long-standing gripe of the US leader.

The meeting of Nato leaders is being held to mark the alliance’s 70th anniversary.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall meets US President Donald Trump and wife Melania at Clarence House, central London, as Nato leaders gather to mark 70 years of the alliance.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall meets US President Donald Trump and wife Melania at Clarence House on Tuesday. (PA)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted talks with Mr Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of the main gathering in an attempt to iron out some of the differences between them.

The main Nato talks will take place on Wednesday at The Grove, a country house hotel near Watford.

The meeting is expected to consider new threats, including in the areas of cyber and space, after the alliance last month declared space one of its operational domains alongside air, land, sea and cyber.