I spent time with Donald Trump - and he and Melania were not what I expected

To say that this week has been busy is an understatement. WithDonald Trump in town, I covered every second of his time in Windsor, working around the clock as he was treated to a vast display of pomp and ceremony, military shows, and an exquisite state banquet in the Castle's Great Hall. Watching Trump's overly bronzed skin, quiffed blonde hair, and animated facial expressions up close last week, I was surprised by how polite and deferential he was throughout.

He was still his usual larger-than-life self - but on his best behaviour. Despite his reputation as rude, raucous, and unpredictable, he was respectful throughout and clearly in awe ofthe ceremonial splendour on display and the extent to which the UK had gone to offer him a warm welcome. The US President's fascination and love affair with the Royal Family was also clear to see, he looked upon the two most senior royal couples - the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales - with the utmost reverence.

He couldn't resist telling the press at every turn how "amazing", "great" and "remarkable" the Royal Family are. Another person who also surprised me was the First Lady. She's portrayed as a rather one-dimensional character, muted and uninterested.

On the first day of the state visit, I can't say my initial impression of her had altered, as she hid under one of the most ridiculous hats I've ever seen and then opted for a bright yellow dress in the evening.

But covering her engagement with the Queen on Thursday morning, where they toured Queen Mary's Dolls' House and the Royal Library, I encountered a completely different side to her. She was captivated by the items on show and was so incredibly warm and engaging.

When engaging with Year 4 pupils, she demonstrated her natural flair with children, something we saw a few hours later when she joined the Princess of Wales for an engagement with young Scouts.

The fanfare of the Trump state visit wasn't quite what I expected, but there's no mistaking that it went off without a hitch and was an overwhelming success.

The soft power of the Royal Family worked a charm, and an invitation for the King to visit the US next year to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is already in the works.

The Kate-effect is no new phenomenon, and the princess knows all too well that what she wears has an impact. This is why it was so touching to see that during her engagement with the First Lady, she wore a dark green scarf from Sudbury Mill, where the princess visited just a week earlier and observed the production process.

She wore the scarf in a bow around her neck during an event with Melania in the gardens of Frogmore House in Windsor.

It was a deliberate gesture which will have a huge impact on the family-run weaving mill in Sudbury. The decision to wear the scarf also reinforces her commitment to the British textile industry and proves that no style move is ever just a coincidence.

Nothing quite says British autumn like conkers, and Prince Louis's love affair with the seeds was all of us when we were younger.

Chatting away with Chief Scout Dwayne Fields on Thursday, the Princess of Wales discussed her youngest son's passion for collecting them.

She said: "We keep finding conkers in cupboards, in his bed - conkers everywhere!"

As Mr Fields smiled, she added that her seven-year-old son even puts the conkers in his toy trucks and plays with them. I remember conker fighting with my brother when we were younger (my dad would attach them to a piece of string and we'd each take a turn at bashing each other's conkers to see whose would smash first) but that game is probably against health and safety rules nowadays!