Army guard of honour welcomes Aukus partners as talks get underway in London

The first trilateral meeting of the Aukus defence partnership to be held in the UK is underway in London, with the visiting defence ministers being greeted with a guard of honour provided bu the Army.

Defence Secretary John Healey is hosting the meeting with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

The ministers were greeted by troops from Nijmegen Company of the Grenadier Guards, who were supported by the Band of the Welsh Guards and led by the Household Division Drum Major.

• Aukus: Barriers lifted on defence trading will speed up nuclear submarine development
• Trilateral Aukus agreement redefines submarine warfare with a sonobuoys algorithm
• Threat from China prompts Canada to seek place in Aukus security partnership

Mr Healey said: "I'm proud to be the first UK Defence Secretary to host a meeting of Aukus defence ministers in Britain.

"As Aukus partners, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an increasingly unstable world.

"This is a partnership that will boost jobs, growth and prosperity across our three nations, as well as strengthening our collective security.

"I'm delighted that we will soon be commencing negotiations on a bilateral Aukus treaty with Australia, which will help create a more secure and stable Indo-Pacific for decades to come."

Upon their arrival, the US and Australian officials were formally received by Major General James Bowder, the commanding officer of the Household Division and London District in the British Army, and Mr Healey.

Before the commencement of official discussions, the visiting dignitaries were invited to inspect the guard of honour, presented by the Grenadier Guards and led by the Captain of the Guard.

Recognising the critical importance of the upcoming SSN-Aukus submarines, the UK and Australia have committed to prioritising negotiations.

First announced in September 2021, the Aukus trilateral security and defence partnership is designed to enhance stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

At the centre of the agreement is the development of what will be the most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy.