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BRITAIN

Queen to receive Spanish king in June, then Trump

Queen Elizabeth II will host Spanish King Felipe VI on his state visit to Britain in June, Buckingham Palace said on Friday, meaning US President Donald Trump's trip will have to be later in the year.

Queen to receive Spanish king in June, then Trump
Queen Elizabeth II will host Spanish King Felipe VI on his state visit to Britain in June. Photo: Chris Jackson/AFP

Felipe VI and his wife Letizia, who had been forced to postpone their planned visit last year because of the political crisis in Spain, will now visit Britain on June 6th-8th, the palace said in a statement.

This means Trump's state visit will be “later in the year,” Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said.

British media have reported that October is the most likely date for the US leader, whose trip is expected to be accompanied by massive protests.

The police earlier said they were preparing for Trump to arrive in June but reports citing senior government sources later said this had been delayed.

May extended the invitation for a state visit, a high honour that involves a banquet with Queen Elizabeth II, when she met Trump at the White House in late January.

It was part of a charm offensive intended to strengthen bilateral ties as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

But coming at the same time as Trump announced his ban on refugees and travellers from seven mainly Muslim countries, it sparked public outrage in Britain.

More than 1.8 million signed a petition asking for the visit to be cancelled, prompting a debate in parliament where several lawmakers condemned the proposal.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has also said he believes Trump should not be allowed the honour of giving a speech to parliament.

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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

The King’s mounted Royal Guards will no longer be able to wear their iconic ceremonial helmets on parades, after the Swedish Work Environment Authority warned of serious safety concerns.

Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

“We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously and we are going to address this immediately,” colonel Stefan Nacksten, head of the Royal Guards, wrote in a statement. 

Employed by the Armed Forces, the Royal Guards are the King’s cavalry and infantry units and are a well-known sight at ceremonies in Sweden, including at the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Stockholm every day in summer – a popular spectacle for Stockholmers and tourists alike.

The helmets will no longer be used by Royal Guards on horseback from July 7th, as they do not conform to safety standards for riding helmets, although guards parading on foot will still be permitted to wear them.

They are part of the 1895 parade uniforms and were last modified in 2000. The Armed Forces will now create an entirely new helmet which looks the part, but is also safe for riding.

“We’re working on finding an alternative solution as quickly as possible which meets safety requirements and can also be used during parades,” Nacksten said.

“We’ve been working long-term with this issue but now that it has been assessed [by the Swedish Work Environment Authority] we need to take measures immediately,” he added.

“This is good, and now we’re working to make sure something good comes out of this and we can get a safe riding helmet for parades in place as soon as possible.”

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