Trump’s children make play for royal treatment

At a grand banquet table in a red-carpeted Buckingham Palace ballroom, the Queen, a couple of princes, dukes and duchesses, and lords and ladies were intermixed with the Trump family: a President, a first lady, four of his five children, and two of their spouses.

Queen Elizabeth II formally invited just President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to travel to London for an official State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. But the event became more of an extended family affair, with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and his wife Lara, and Tiffany Trump all joining the exclusive party.

The President’s eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, was already set to attend in her capacity as a formal adviser to the President, and a senior member of his administration. Her husband, Jared Kushner, is also part of the United States delegation attending the ceremonial events.

US President Donald Trump, visiting the Normandy American Cemetery in France, participates in a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday, June 6.

Trump and his wife, Melania, visit the graves of troops who died on D-Day.

The Trumps are joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, as they watch a flyover on June 6.

A World War II veteran shows Trump a photo of himself with the President.

Trump addresses the commemoration ceremony in France.

Macron and Trump embrace during the D-Day ceremony.

A World War II veteran looks over Trump's shoulder during the commemoration ceremony.

At a D-Day event held Wednesday, June 5, in Portsmouth, England, Trump reads a prayer that President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave over the radio on D-Day.

Trump heads back after speaking at the event in Portsmouth on June 5.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles play host to the Trumps at the D-Day event in Portsmouth. British Prime Minister Theresa May is at left.

Trump meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the D-Day event in Portsmouth.

The Trumps pose for a photo ahead of a dinner at Winfield House in London on Tuesday, June 4. Joining them, from left, are Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the United Kingdom; Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; and Johnson's wife, Suzanne Ircha.

Trump and Prince Charles share a toast at Winfield House.

Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May speak at the dinner on June 4.

Melania Trump spends time with Camilla and Suzanne Ircha, the wife of the US ambassador.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, center, arrives at Winfield House, where the Trumps are staying during their visit.

Trump and May give a joint news conference on June 4. "I think she's done a very good job," Trump said, reversing past critiques of her failure to strike a Brexit deal that both Parliament and the EU can accept.

Trump and May are followed by their spouses as they make their way to the news conference in London on June 4. The President offered plenty of praise for May, who recently announced her resignation.

Philip May and Melania Trump attend a garden party at No. 10 Downing Street.

Larry, the No. 10 Downing Street cat, sits underneath The Beast, the presidential armored Cadillac.

Trump speaks opposite May at a business roundtable discussion in London.

Trump stands next to Queen Elizabeth II before a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Monday, June 3. Joining them are Melania Trump, Prince Charles and Camilla.

The state banquet had a few hundred guests, including several of Trump's children.

Trump and the Queen laugh during the state banquet.

The Trumps tour Westminster Abbey on June 3.

The President signed the guestbook at Westminster Abbey. "Thank you so much," his message said. "This has been a great honor. Special place."

The Trumps are joined by Prince Andrew as they pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.

The President's convoy drives down Pall Mall in London on June 3.

Queen Elizabeth II welcomes the Trumps to Buckingham Palace. She took them on a tour of the royal collection.

Among the items on display was "American Pewter Thoroughbred," a gift that Trump gave the Queen last year.

Trump inspects a guard of honor at Buckingham Palace.

The US National Anthem is played during a welcoming ceremony at Buckingham Palace. From left are Melania Trump, the Queen, Trump, Charles and Camilla.

British Army troops fire a cannon in London's Green Park to mark the beginning of Trump's visit.

The Queen greets the President as he arrives at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Charles greets Trump as he steps off Marine One at Buckingham Palace.

The Trumps are welcomed in London by Charles and Camilla.

Trump's daughter Ivanka, who is also advisor to the President, looks out of a window at Buckingham Palace.

People outside Buckingham Palace photograph the Changing of the Guard ahead of Trump's arrival on June 3.

The Trumps arrive at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador, on June 3.

Amnesty International installs "Resist Trump" banners on Vauxhall Bridge in London.

Marine One flies past the BT Tower in London.

The Trumps walk toward Marine One after arriving at London's Stansted Airport on June 3.

The President salutes troops as he and the first lady arrive at Stansted Airport.

Trump is greeted by UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt after arriving at the airport.

The Trumps arrive at Stansted Airport.

In pictures: President Trump in Europe

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For the President, bringing his adult children, in his view, is akin to showcasing his version of royalty. In an interview ahead of the trip with the British tabloid newspaper The Sun, Trump said he wanted Ivanka, Donald Jr., Eric and Tiffany to hold a “next generation” meeting with the Prince William and his wife, Kate, and Prince Harry.

“I think my children will be meeting them,” said Trump. “It would be nice.”

Though they mingled at the State Banquet, there were no plans for a sit-down meeting, a royal source told CNN International correspondent Max Foster. They did, however, join their father for his joint news conference with Prime Minister Theresa May, and later toured the Churchill War Rooms, according to their social media posts.

A family affair

Trump’s business has always been a family affair: He became a New York real estate magnate with the help of a loan from his father, Fred Trump, his then-wife Ivana Trump worked with him while they were married, and Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric all joined the Trump Organization when they came of age. But the family Trump is a far cry from the American political dynasties of the past – the Kennedys, the Bushes. Further, a vision of the President’s children as America’s equivalence to the Royal Family is at odds with everything Trump’s brand as a status quo disruptor.

Trump ran in the 2016 presidential race promising to “drain the swamp” and railing against political establishment at every turn, particularly his GOP primary rival Jeb Bush, the brother of one American president and son of another.

But since taking office, he elevated his daughter and son-in-law to two of the highest-ranking appointments inside the West Wing. He even suggested that she could hold public office herself after he leaves office.

“If she ever wanted to run for president,” the President said this year, “I think she’d be very, very hard to beat.”

But that his daughter hasn’t expressed any interest in running to him. For now, she continues her work on largely noncontroversial West Wing portfolio and style herself as a diplomat on the world stage. On Tuesday, she appeared alongside her father at a business roundtable and bilateral meetings with May as part of the official US delegation.

Separate lives

The full complement of Trump’s adult children, while present at the odd family event or holiday at Trump’s homes in Palm Beach and Bedminster, are a relatively scarce presence at the White House.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump live in New York City, where they assumed control of the family real estate business, though Don Jr. now spends a significant amount of time traveling the country to attend events, rallying and fundraising for the 2020 campaign season alongside girlfriend and campaign senior adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Tiffany Trump, the only child of Trump’s marriage to second wife, Marla Maples, is about to begin her third year at Georgetown University Law School in Washington where she lives off-campus in a downtown apartment. Tiffany has spent part of her summer break in Europe, attending swanky events in Cannes, France, during the fabled film festival, posting photos from a yacht anchored in the Mediterranean, and this week back in London, where her boyfriend is said to live.

Ivanka Trump was in town ahead of her father’s arrival, too, posting on her Instagram account a visit to the Albert & Victoria museum to see the sold-out Christian Dior exhibition. As a member of the delegation, she joined other high-level staffers on a Buckingham Palace balcony for the formal arrival ceremony as her father inspected British troops.