Supporters of Donald Trump gathered outside Windsor Castle in a show of admiration as the president’s unprecedented second state visit to the UK is underway.
With President Trump’s helicopter overhead, hundreds gathered in Windsor’s town centre.
An initially calm atmosphere gave way to moments of tension, with detractors and supporters sparring verbally as police presence gathered.
While the majority of admirers had travelled from London and the area surrounding Windsor, not all of Trump’s supporters were local.
Some came thousands of miles to wave flags and don the iconic red Maga hat, with German influencer Jonas Viereck, 21, flying in from Frankfurt.
He said: “Trump has been my role model for almost ten years now. I learnt English because I watched his speeches.”
Trump’s most fervent admirers often bore Maga hats and US flags and capitalised on the momentum of last week’s Unite The Kingdom rally in London to criticise Sir Keir Starmer’s government, as well as his handling of Trump’s visit.
Diane Clarke, 52, a teaching assistant from north London, travelled to show her support after attending the Unite The Kingdom march, but criticised Trump’s absence from any public-facing appearances.
She said: “There are people here who support Trump. I think it’s an absolute sham that he’s put behind a fortress, because of the few people that don’t like him.”
Other Trump supporters came to advocate more specific issues, such as James Speed, a 55-year-old politics teacher from Windsor.
He described Tommy Robinson as a “working-class hero”.
Trump’s business acumen and larger-than-life character were points of praise among the supporters lining Kings Road in Windsor.
Meric Turna, a 54-year-old steel trader from nearby Eton, said: “I’m not a very political person, but we need strong leaders.
“You really need some strong personalities to manage these international affairs.”
Ian Cameron, a 60-year-old decorator from Wraysbury, had travelled to Windsor in his paint-adorned work clothes.
He said: “Whether you like Trump, hate him, whatever, he’s still the president of the United States, and we need the United States.
“Those gathering to oppose him ought to think about the country and not themselves. It’s a lot bigger than that.”
Additional reporting by Madigan Gallagher, Anna Caldwell and Jack Prentice.
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