The U.K.'s largest military ceremony for a visiting foreign leader in living memory brought out the full weight of Britain’s ceremonial traditions to welcome the American president.

President Donald Trump began his historic second state visit to Britain on Wednesday with pomp, security and protests as King Charles III and other royals welcomed their closest ally.

Noting that he was “the first American president welcomed” to the U.K. for two state visits — and for any state visit at Windsor Castle — Trump told banquet guests that the experience was a "singular privilege" and one of the greatest honors of his life.

President Donald Trump relished the glow of a British royal spectacle as he opened a two-day state visit Wednesday, calling the hours of pageantry

The Trump administration begins its second State Visit to Britain with a royal welcome from Prince William, Kate Middleton, King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

The ongoing fallout over Epstein is likely to follow Trump on his formal state visit to the U.K., which just lost its ambassador in D.C. to the scandal.

A birthday letter Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein – along with pictures of Epstein's victims, news clips about the case, and police reports – was also projected onto the castle