King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has invited US President Donald Trump to a ceremony commemorating the battle of Scheldt, which took place 75 years ago this August.

A crucial battle in Dutch history

The battle of Scheldt played a crucial role in the liberation of the Netherlands and Belgium in World War II. During this battle, the banks of the Westerschelde were recaptured and the Antwerp shipping route was opened up, allowing the port to be used to supply the allied troupes in north-west Europe.

This battle will be commemorated on August 31 in Terneuzen and Trump is invited. Whether or not he will accept the royal invitation remains to be seen.

An unconventional invitation

It’s quite unheard of for the King to extend an invitation without having already received an indication that the guest, in this case Trump, will accept. Usually, it is the case that an invitation is only sent once the guest has expressed the intention to attend.

Trump previously declined an invitation to the Global Entrepreneur Summit (GES) in The Hague due to his busy schedule. His daughter and advisor, Ivanka Trump, will however be present at the GES.