Yesterday saw President Trump touch down in the UK for his unprecedented second state visit – and as part of the celebrations, the royal family rolled out the red carpet (and plenty of fanfare) by hosting a banquet for 160 people.
Names on the guest list included lots of business moguls such as ChatGPT’s Sam Altman, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and NVIDIA boss, Jensen Huang, alongside political figures such as Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and his wife, Victoria, and the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Likely to celebrate and discuss the 'Tech Prosperity Deal' which sees American tech firms, like Microsoft and NVIDIA, ploughing billions of pounds worth of investment into the UK in order to support the building of AI infrastructure.
However, notably missing from the guest list was a smattering of famous faces, some of whom are pretty much regulars at royal events by this point. The Beckhams, for instance, attended the nuptials of both Prince William and Kate Middleton, as well as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Sir Elton John also crops up a lot (well, he does live just down the road in Windsor!) but was nowhere to be seen last night.
In contrast, back in 2011 when the Obamas dropped by the UK for a state visit, the lavish royal banquet guestlist included the likes of Forrest Gump actor, Tom Hanks and Harry Potter star Helena Bonham Carter (and her then-partner, director Tim Burton).
This event was followed by a ‘return dinner’ hosted by Barrack and Michelle Obama at Winfield House (the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in London) the following night, which saw the Queen and Prince Philip dine with the Beckhams, Colin Firth and J. K. Rowling.
So, what gives?
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Well, it seems as though this absence of famous faces for a Trump-royal banquet is nothing new – during his first state banquet, back in 2019, the attendees were very much business, trade and politically focussed too. Perhaps suggesting a shift in tone and reflecting the priorities of the Trump administration and Britain at the time (things do feel kinda serious these days… and less schmoozy party vibes?).
Royal state visit banquets are also a pretty recent phenomenon; no U.S. President prior to 2003 (when President George Bush received an invite… and also had a celeb-less banquet) had been accorded a full state visit during Queen Elizabeth II's reign.
It's strictly business, baby.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
