Tonight’s banquet, the glittering centrepiece of Donald Trump’s state visit, is set to begin shortly.

Just before the banquet begins, members of the royal family will be lined up to be personally introduced to Mr Trump and First Lady Melania.

Then, the King and Queen and the American couple will be formally introduced to and shake hands with each and every guest as they file into the ballroom.

The King and the president will then make their way into the room side by side.

While the US president was treated to pomp and pageantry at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, with supporters lining the streets, the British capital was home to far more irreverent scenes.

The Independent’s Maira Butt reports:

Names on the guest list tonight have not been revealed, but the Trumps will be joined but some 160 people at Windsor Castle.

Former US president Barack Obama’s state banquet in 2011 was sprinkled with Hollywood stardust, with a guest list including actor Tom Hanks, actress Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton.

But the dinner for Mr Trump’s last state visit in 2019 was more trade and business rather than showbusiness.

The King and Queen will head members of the royal family, with the Prince of Wales expected to attend, and the Princess of Wales likely, but not yet confirmed, to join him, along with other Windsors.

The attending royals have yet to be announced, but at the last state banquet for Mr Trump, there were 16 family members.

7pm: Some of the 160 guests invited to tonight’s state banquet will arrive at Windsor Castle.

7:20pm: The monarch, royal family and the Trumps will lead a procession in to the banquet in St George’s Hall.

8.30pm: The King and Mr Trump will both make a speech and propose toasts to one another, followed by the playing of the national anthems.

After a day filled with royal welcomes and military pomp, the US president will get to enjoy a feast fit for a King this evening.

In about an hour, some 160 guests will file into the opulently decorated St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle.

Donald and Melania Trump will be seated amongst the royal family at the 50-metre table which has taken staff says to set up.

Extravagant floral displays picked from the castle grounds to decorate the room where guests will dine on an exquisite menu, written in French, prepared by royal chefs and served on historic, priceless dinner sets.

Former leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn congratulated the activists who projected an image of US President Donald Trump and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle.

Speaking to crowds at a rally against Mr Trump’s second state visit in Parliament Square, Mr Corbyn said “well done” to the people responsible.

Thames Valley Police said it had arrested four people on suspicious of malicious communications in connection with the stunt at the Berkshire royal residence.

Mr Corbyn said: “There’s something very sinister about our times when peaceful protest becomes terrorism: when an ad van going around Windsor Castle perfectly legally is then stopped by the police, taken away, and those people prevented from expressing a point of view.

“This is what’s happening to our democratic rights and democratic values in our society. They take away the right to protest because they don’t want us to protest.”

Thames Valley Police said its officers had spoken with the driver of an ad van which showed a picture of Mr Trump with Epstein, adding that no arrests were made and no vehicles were seized.

The King and Queen have personally inspected the banquet table in St George’s Hall ahead of Wednesday evening’s state banquet.

Charles and Camilla surveyed the scene shown in footage posted on the official monarchy’s social media.

Pink, purple and yellow blooms could be seen adorning the extravagant floral displays on the 50-metre table.

The monarch and Camilla shook hands with Household staff who were behind the meticulous planning and staging of the grand affair.

Two people have been arrested in Windsor over public order incidents linked to US President Donald Trump’s state visit, Thames Valley Police said.

The force said: “A 56-year-old woman of no fixed abode was arrested following a public order incident on Park Street, Windsor, at around 12.55pm today. She was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and using threatening or abusive language likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. She remains in police custody.

“A 36-year-old man of no fixed abode was arrested following a public order incident in Peascod Street, Windsor, at around 1.40pm today. He was arrested on suspicion of public order and assault. He remains in police custody.”

Lieutenant Colonel Simon Soskin of the Grenadier Guards said the King and Donald Trump were “grateful” after the Beating Retreat.

Lt Col Soskin, who was tasked with planning the ceremony, told the PA news agency: “We were asked to put on a spectacular performance to end the day of welcoming and so we pulled in our three bands, one for each service, invited the Americans, sprinkled in some bagpipers and it came together very well.”

Asked what the King and US president said to the gathered military personnel who watched the ceremony, Lt Col Soskin said: “They took a few moments to say hello.

“I said hello to the president on the way past, which I like because my family are American, so I’ll be telling my parents later.

“They were grateful, I think, the President was really pleased to see the junior American service personnel.”