JD Vance to stay at David Lammy's Chevening for UK holiday

Vice president JD Vance (Lauren Leigh Bacho/AP) Lauren Leigh Bacho

US Vice President JD Vance will stay at Foreign Secretary David Lammy's grace and favour country house when he visits Britain for a summer holiday this week. The visit marks a significant development in the personal relationship between the two politicians.

Vance and his family will begin their summer break this Friday with a stay at Chevening, the Foreign Secretary's Grade I-listed mansion in Kent, according to the Telegraph. The 17th-century country house serves as the official residence for Britain's Foreign Secretary.

Friendship built on shared experiences

The pair have reportedly developed a warm friendship, bonding over their difficult childhoods and shared Christian faith. Lammy attended mass at the Vice President's Washington residence during a visit in March, and now plans to repay the favour with the stay at his country home.

The two politicians are expected to hold a bilateral meeting before being joined by their families at Chevening. "Lammy has visited Vance's family and the relationship looks like it will continue to grow on a personal as well as a professional basis," a source told the Telegraph.

Hampton Court and Cotswolds visit

The Vice President and his family are also expected to visit Hampton Court Palace during their trip to the UK. The main portion of their holiday will be spent in the Cotswolds, the picturesque region popular with American visitors.

Vance's British holiday comes just weeks after Donald Trump travelled to Scotland on a private visit to his golf courses. During that trip, Trump met with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to agree a trade deal with the bloc, and held talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Political transformation

Trump will return to the UK for a full state visit in September. Lammy's burgeoning relationship with Vance represents a significant political change of heart, as he was once an outspoken critic of Trump.

The Foreign Secretary previously described the US President as a "racist and KKK/neo-Nazi sympathiser" when Labour was in opposition. Since coming to power, however, Lammy has brushed off his remarks as "old news".

Asked about Vance's visit to the UK, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "Ministerial engagements will be announced in the usual way."

(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.