"President-elect Trump set out his close and personal connections with, and warmth for, the UK. He said he was confident that the special relationship would go from strength to strength."

In December 2015, Mrs May, then Home Secretary, criticised Mr Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, describing it as “divisive, unhelpful and wrong”.

She also said that Mr Trump “does not understand the UK and what happens in the UK”.

Sources said Mrs May is “looking forward to the next chapter” and does not believe her previous comments will affect her relationship with the next US president.

It is also understood that the Prime Minister intends to travel to Washington DC within the next year to visit Mr Trump at the White House.

Speaking in London, Phillip Hammond, the Chancellor, said: "The special relationship is alive and well and strong and deep.

"And as I've said many times before, what's special about the special relationship between the UK and the US is that it is not a relationship between any two people, or the holders of any two offices, it is a very deep relationship that works at many levels."