Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Join the President at Buckingham Palace on U.K. Visit as Thousands Prepare to Protest
At least one of President Donald Trump‘s children officially joined him during his first state visit to the U.K.: Ivanka Trump met him at Buckingham Palace in London on Monday only a few hours after he and First Lady Melania Trump arrived for a three-day trip.
Ivanka, 37, was joined by husband Jared Kushner at the palace. Both are senior aides to the president.
A White House spokeswoman told PEOPLE last week that details were still being worked out about Ivanka’s role in the visit but that she “will be participating in official and ceremonial events in London and then closing [the Global Entrepreneurship Summit] in the Netherlands.”
“I am looking forward to joining the US delegation for this commemorative visit,” she tweeted Monday.
Ivanka has taken an increasingly public role at the White House in recent months, spearheading the administration’s focus on economic, women and family issues.
She and Kushner, 38, have also battled near continual scrutiny of their government jobs given their relation to the president: Earlier this year it was reported President Trump personally intervened in their security clearances — a legal if highly unusual move.
The rest of the president’s adult children — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, who run the family’s real estate business, and Tiffany Trump, a law student — are also expected to join their father for part of the U.K. visit, according to reports. The purpose for their attendance is unclear.
The president and first lady have a busy schedule that began almost immediately after they landed in London. Soon after they were greeted by Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Buckingham Palace.
On Monday afternoon, Prince Andrew will take the Trumps on a tour of Westminster Abbey before the president is scheduled to have tea with Charles and Camilla.
The day will be capped off with a lavish state banquet, with about 170 guests reportedly in attendance.
RELATED: What We Know So Far About President Trump’s State Visit to the U.K.
The rest of the trip will consist of meetings and news conferences with British Prime Minister Theresa May, a quick trip to Ireland and then to France in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Protests have been organized on social media ahead of the Trump family’s arrival, with protestors looking to fly another “baby Trump” blimp as they did during his working visit to the U.K. last year. Organizers expect thousands to turn out, according to news reports.
Trump’s state visit has been repeatedly delayed since he was first invited in 2017.
He previously told The Sun newspaper that the protesters last year made him “feel unwelcome.“
