1 of 2 | U.S. President Donald Trump (C-L) and King Charles (C-R), flanked by First Lady Melania Trump (L) and Queen Camilla (R), share a joke as they review a Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Photo by RAF Sgt. Rob Kane/Defense Ministry/EPA
Major U.S. companies are set to invest a record $205 billion in Britain over the next decade, creating thousands of jobs across the four countries of the United Kingdom, the government said in an announcement timed to coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit.
Investment giant Blackstone will put in the bulk of the money, about $123 billion, along with $46 billion from Microsoft, NVIDIA and Google into AI projects and data centers, according to a Business Department news release.
Prologis will pump another $5.3 billion into the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, as well as investments to support life sciences, advanced manufacturing and rail infrastructure, while tech company Palantir is set to invest $2 billion.
Hailing what he said was the largest commercial package ever secured during a State Visit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deals were a “testament to Britain’s economic strength and a bold signal that our country is open, ambitious, and ready to lead.”
“When we back British brilliance, champion our world-class industries, and forge deeper global alliances — especially with friends like the United States — we help shape the future for generations to come and make people across the country better off,” Starmer said. “Jobs, growth and opportunity is what I promised for working people, and it’s exactly what this State Visit is delivering.”
Prologis U.K. regional head Paul Weston said the move demonstrated the firm’s determination to support innovation and deliver the sustainable infrastructure base critical to the U.K.’s long-term economic growth.
“Our investment ambitions for the expansion of Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal are backing two of the U.K.’s most critical sectors: life sciences and logistics,” said Weston.
However, the money will not all be flowing in one direction.
British firms are set to invest upwards of $73 billion in the United States over the next five years, led by pharma-giant GSK and BP, plus tech, banks and insurers.
U.K. public sector contracts with U.S. companies, mostly in the spheres of tech and defense, helping run critical services such as the National Health Service and weather forecasting, will add another $60 billion to that figure.
Meanwhile, the state visit by Trump, credited with oiling all the deals, culminated Wednesday night with a grand state banquet in his honor in Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Hall attended by 160 guests at which he was seated with King Charles on one side and Catherine, Princess of Wales, on the other.
In speeches, the king and Trump spoke at length about the special U.K.-U.S. relationship with Charles highlighting the shared history of the two nations fighting alongside each other in two world wars and praising Trump’s dedication to “finding solutions to some of the world’s most intractable conflicts.”
“Our people have fought and died together for the values we hold dear,” said the King.
Trump said “special” didn’t even come close.
“I have such respect for you and such respect for your country for many decades. The word special does not begin to do it justice,” he said, addressing the king.
The visit was set to continue Thursday with Trump traveling to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s country residence in Buckinghamshire for bilateral talks and a summit with business leaders, while First Lady Melania Trump will remain at Windsor Castle to attend events with Queen Camilla and Princess Kate.
