Wow. That was a lot.

I had two tactics going in: one – smile at Donald Trump, try to catch his eye because then he might ask you for a question, and I did get called.

And two, wear something bright so he sees you in the sea of grey. Well, that worked.

The colourful approach also really worked for Sir Keir Starmer, who produced a letter from the King inviting Trump for a second state visit.

The US president genuinely seemed utterly delighted.

He loves the Royal Family, so this was really some smart diplomacy from the prime minister.

Starmer will be so happy with how that went off, because there were lots of potential landmines on certain areas.

Mr Trump was charming. He did not get into it with the prime minister on the issue of the Chagos Islands and that deal – he was pretty nice about that. And he did not say anything controversial.

On tariffs, the president chose to really lay into the European Union and did not really go to town on tariffs when it comes to the UK.

On Ukraine, he was asked about a peace deal. He thinks it’s going to happen. He was asked about security guarantees. He said: “We’re going to get the deal, and then we’re going to work all of that stuff out.”

When he was asked about whether he would back up UK troops if necessary – well, he did not say no.

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Overall, it was a pretty good outing for Starmer and the atmospherics were good.

But blimey – Trump, it is free-flowing. I’ve never been into the Oval Office and had a situation where a president would answer so many questions from journalists.

In the past with President Biden, it was all very ordered and certain people got to ask questions.

Here, it really is free-flowing. It was quite an intense session.

Usually, correspondence written by the King is not made public, but Donald Trump held up the letter in the Oval Office.

The letter, which was inviting him to the UK for a historic second state visit, was handed to him by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Here is what we have been able to make out from the photos.

In the opening paragraph, the King references the “breadth of challenges across the world”, and says the UK and the US have “a vital role to play”.

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He goes on to say that he remembers “with great fondness” Mr Trump’s visits to the UK during his “previous presidency”.

The King mentions Mr Trump visiting the golf course the US president owns in Turnberry and then appears to suggest a visit to Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland at some stage – estates owned or run by the monarch.

He writes: “There is much on both Estates which I think you might find interesting and enjoy – particularly as my Foundation at Dumfries House provides hospitality skills-training for young people who often end up as staff in your own establishments!

“Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second State Visit to the United Kingdom.

“As you will know, this is unprecedented by a US president. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content.

“In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries, of which we are both so proud.”

After reading the letter Mr Trump said: “That’s a great, great honour. And that says at Windsor – that’s really something.”

Mr Trump, the first ever convicted felon to become US president, accepted the invitation from the King – making him the only elected political leader in modern times to be invited to two state visits by a British monarch.

Sky News contacted Buckingham Palace to ask when the second state visit might take place and they said: “When diaries allow.”

Questions remain as to what form the state visit will take, who would accompany Mr Trump in his presidential party and whether this could include his close ally, billionaire businessman Elon Musk who is acting as his senior adviser on federal spending.

Mr Trump’s first UK state visit took place during his initial term as president – when he was hosted by the late Queen in 2019.

Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

President Trump has earlier separately said he would be visiting the UK in the “near future”.

The Royal Family’s soft power diplomacy is viewed as a way of engaging with the controversial billionaire-turned-politician, who is well known for his love of the monarchy.

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A stay at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands could be seen as appealing to Mr Trump’s heritage – his mother Mary Anne was born on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and he has two golf resorts in the country.

Buckingham Palace’s ongoing £369m refurbishment is focusing on its grandest state rooms, meaning it is unlikely to host any state visits for the next two years.

Balmoral – the turreted grey stone castle by the River Dee – is the King’s private Scottish home which has served as a summer sanctuary for generations of monarchs since it was bought for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852.

The only other US president to stay at Balmoral was Dwight D Eisenhower in the summer of 1959, but it was an informal trip rather than a state visit.

Mr Eisenhower had an affectionate relationship with the late Queen, who made a last minute decision to drive down to Balmoral’s Lodge Gate to personally greet her guest when he inspected a guard of honour.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump, discussions that could help shape the relationship between the UK and the US for the next four years.

In a short speech at the British ambassador’s residence he was keen to emphasise the things the two countries have in common.

“We want to work with you, we want to welcome you to Britain,” he said. “We want a new partnership, because our history shows that when we work together great things happen.”

On Wednesday, the prime minister had brushed aside growing tensions between the White House and Europe over Ukraine, saying he trusted Mr Trump and wanted the “special relationship” to go “from strength to strength”.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the White House meeting, Sir Keir insisted that the UK was working “in lockstep” with the president on the matter of Ukraine.

Asked if he could trust President Trump in light of what has happened in recent weeks, the prime minister replied “yes”.

“I’ve got a good relationship with him,” Sir Keir said.

“As you know, I’ve met him, I’ve spoken to him on the phone, and this relationship between our two countries is a special relationship with a long history, forged as we fought wars together, as we traded together.

“And as I say, I want it to go from strength to strength.”

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Even before Sir Keir arrived in Washington, the choreography of the trip hit a little turbulence as President Trump appeared to pour cold water on the prospect of a US military backstop for Ukraine as part of any peace deal – a key UK and European demand.

“I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” Mr Trump said at his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“We’re going to have Europe do that because Europe is the next-door neighbour.”

His remarks seemed at odds with those made by the prime minister on the way to Washington as he reiterated how important a US military backstop was for Ukraine.

“We all want a peaceful outcome,” the prime minister said.

“It’s got to be a lasting peace, and that requires us to put in place an effective security guarantee.

“Exactly what the configuration of that is, exactly what the backstop is, is obviously the subject of intense discussion.”

He added: “But the reason I say the backstop is so important is that the security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again because my concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see.”

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While European allies such as the UK and France are preparing to put peacekeeping troops on the ground to police the Ukraine-Russian borders, leaders have been clear that US support is essential to containing President Putin and securing that support is the key purpose of the prime minister’s trip to Washington.

President Zelenskyy has also demanded that clear guarantees of US military backing and security be part of his deal with the US on critical minerals, but a framework agreed this week by both sides did not include an explicit reference to any such support.

Ahead of the trip to Washington, the prime minister pledged to increase UK defence spending – a key ask of all NATO members by President Trump – and reiterated his commitment to putting British boots on the ground in Ukraine as he attempts to lower tensions between Europe and the US and demonstrate to President Trump that the UK is willing to play its part.

“When it comes to defence and security, we have for decades acted as a bridge because of the special relationship we have with the US and also our allegiance to our European allies,” Sir Keir said.

“I’ve been absolutely resolute that we’re not going to choose between one side of the Atlantic and the other. We will work with the US, we will work with our European allies, that’s what we’ve done for decades, and it’s what we’ll do whilst I’m prime minister.”

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Sir Keir also gave the British public a “message of reassurance” after his decision to accelerate defence spending in the face of Russian aggression, saying he had done it to “ensure their safety” and increased investment would bring opportunities.

“I want to reassure the British public that what we’re doing is to ensure their safety, their security and defence of our country.

“I want to also be clear that this is an opportunity because, as we increase defence spending, then that gives an opportunity for our industrial strategy, for jobs across the UK, good well-paid jobs in defence.”