One million British people have demanded that Donald Trump’s forthcoming trip to meet Queen Elizabeth II be cancelled because of his executive order on immigration.
Huge numbers signed a petition asking that a forthcoming state visit be called off to limit “embarrassment” to Her Majesty as a result of the President’s travel ban.
Although the petition is still active – and could be debated in Parliament – British officials have already slapped it down and insist the visit will take place.
Trump is due to meet the Queen, dine in Buckingham Palace and address the British Parliament – probably in June 2017.
He accepted the invitation during a visit from Theresa May last week, where the two were pictured holding hands.
Usually US-UK state visits are warm, straightforward affairs – a symbol of the “special relationship” touted by Trump and May at their recent press conference in DC.
However, a visit from Trump is likely to be an altogether different proposition – despite the President’s professed admiration for the Queen.
British newspapers over the weekend were filled with fears from officials that Trump and Prince Charles could clash over their very different views on climate change.
Attention was also called to Trump’s past assertion that he could have had sex with Princess Diana, and also the time he took the side of the paparazzi when long-lens photos were published of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless.
However, there is reason to believe that worries about the visit have been overplayed.
The Queen and other royals have previously hosted to controversial regimes from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China.
In 2015 Prince Charles met and shook hands with Gerry Adams, an Irish politician with links to the IRA, which assassinated his beloved great uncle Lord Mountbatten in the 1970s.
So, while many in Britain – and indeed the Royals themselves – may well have issues with the President, past Royal visits have overcome far greater obstacles before.