US president Donald Trump arrives in a country he says in turmoil on Thursday.
That's how he described the UK after two government ministers resigned from Theresa May's government over her Brexit plans.
Before setting off for Europe, President Trump also said former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - one of those to quit Mrs May's cabinet - was a friend of his.
All this would make for an awkward meeting on its own, but the visit is also likely to be marked by large anti-Trump protests in London and Scotland.
Our correspondent Catherine Drew reports from London.
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President Donald Trump arrives in the UK Thursday in a visit that will include a dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace, tea with Britain's Queen's Elizabeth the second at Windsor Castle and a visit to his golf course in Scotland.
He'll also hold bilateral talks with Theresa May at the Prime Minister's official Chequers retreat.
ahead of his visit THE PRESIDENT weighed into the Prime Minister's political woes… as the Conservative government of Theresa May struggle with Brexit, two ministers, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quit. The president made a point of saying ahead of his departure that BORIS is a friend of his .
however Theresa May was playing down any awkwardness, saying Tuesday that she was looking forward to her talks with the american leader.
The president will spend very little time in London where large demonstrations are expected against his visit.
Activists are determined their message will be heard, and seen…. protestors plan to float a giant inflatable of Mr Trump depicted as a baby above the city during his visit.
They accuse him of hateful and divisive rhetoric and policies against women, muslims and other minorities. Akeela Ahmed is the co organizer of the group, Women's March London, which is taking part.
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Protestors say they believe over fifty thousand people will turn out in London to protest against Trump and his policies……
All of this means British leader Theresa May will be walking something of a tightrope with the US President as she tries to maintain what's famously been
described as a special relationship between the countries. .
Paul Osbourne is a London based political commentator.
"In britain everything is seen through the prism of Brexit, and so as we prepare to leave the European Union, it's vital to the British government that we have the strongest possible relationship with America. so that special relationship matters even more to us, now than it did two or three years ago, the problem is it evidently doesn't matter very much to Donald Trump. Donald Trump seems to like people who kow-tow to him the more you kow-tow to Donald Trump, the less popular you will be to your voters at home."
For this visit to the UK, Donald Trump will be surrounded by military pageantry and splendid locations in a bid to impress him and highlight the defense alliance between the two countries.
Theresa May will be hoping for a smooth few days with no unhelpful tweets...
But thousands of demonstrators will express their view - that President Trump shouldn't be coming to the UK at all.
Catherine Drew, Sign off, London