London, Nov 21 (IANS): British officials are planning to invite Donald Trump to meet the Queen as the government deploys its "secret weapon" to cement close ties with the new American President-elect.
Plans to roll out the red carpet for Trump with a state visit in the summer of 2017 are being drawn up at the highest levels in Whitehall, The Times reported on Sunday.
A formal invitation for Trump to make Britain one of his first foreign stops will be issued once he is sworn in as president on January 20, 2017.
According to the officials, discussions between British officials and Trump's team are expected to begin soon to ensure that a date can be agreed for June or July next year.
The Queen will also send an official congratulatory message to the president to mark the inauguration.
Trump told Brexit backers last week that he was "looking forward to it" because his mother always loved the Queen.