Prince Philip may not have attended Donald Trump's official state banquet at Buckingham Palace yesterday, but he was the recipient of a gift nonetheless. The President and First Lady Melania Trump gave the Duke of Edinburgh a personalized Air Force One jacket and the signed autobiography of legendary World War II aviator James Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again.
The protocol around official gift exchanges is particularly demanding, involving State Department consultation. The presents should be personal as well as a nod to both nations' shared history. In this case, the gifts acknowledge both Prince Philip's history as a pilot and his status as a World War II veteran. President Trump has undertaken this particular trip to both shore up the United State's relationship with the U.K. and to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The President and First Lady brought the Queen, who hosted them for both a welcome ceremony and a white tie State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, a silver and silk Tiffany & Co. poppy brooch, in a custom wood White House jewelry box in a red leather box.
For her part, the Queen gave Trump an abridged first edition of Winston Churchill's book, The Second World War, and Melania a silver box that featured rose, thistle, and shamrock images similar to the ceiling pattern in Buckingham Palace's music room.
While Prince Philip's absence was notable, it was not a surprise. The 97-year-old has been retired from royal duties since August of 2017, though does attend public events from time to time and is still a fairly regular presence at family events. He was recently by the Queen's side at their cousin Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, the site of both Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie's 2018 weddings.
The Duke apparently now "operates on a 'wake up and see how I feel' basis," according to The Telegraph, though in the case of the Trumps' elaborate State visit, the decision was probably made quite far an advance that the Prince, who will be 98 next week, would not attend.
Prince Charles's prominent role in the visit was yet another sign that the heir to the throne will continue to play a more prominent role as his elderly parents step back from official life. He and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, hosted the President and First Lady for tea at Clarence House, the Prince of Wales's official residence.
Though an audience with the Queen is guaranteed by a state visit, a meeting with Prince Charles isn't a requirement for foreign dignitaries, which made this particular tea newsworthy. During the president's visit to the U.K. in 2018, the two did not meet.
Elizabeth Angell is the Executive Editor, Digital for Town & Country, where she writes about the British Royal Family, the Kennedys, Ivy League shenanigans, superstars of interior design, and trends in style, beauty, and home.
