The Queen is reportedly set to invite Donald Trump to Windsor Castle on an official state visit to the UK.

According to several newspapers, senior government officials are said to be drawing up plans for the visit as early as next year, as they ponder how to cement the "special relationship".

The President-elect reportedly told Prime Minister Theresa May during a phone call last week that his late Scottish mother was a "big fan" of the Queen, according to the Sunday Times.

Image: The first US president the Queen met was Harry S Truman (here they are at the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC in 1950, when she was still Princess Elizabeth) Image: Since her reign began in 1952, Her Majesty has met every serving US president apart from Lyndon B Johnson. She is seen here in 1959 with President Eisenhower, along with Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Charles at Balmoral Castle Image: In 1961 Her Majesty honoured JFK and his wife at a dinner at Buckingham Palace Image: In 1969 she met President Nixon (R) at Buckingham Palace. Also pictured is Prince Philip Image: The Queen dances with President Gerald Ford at a White House ball in 1976 during the bicentennial celebrations of the Declaration of Independence Image: World leaders including President Jimmy Carter met the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 1977 Image: Princess Margaret and the Queen entertained President Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle during his state visit in 1980 Image: President George HW Bush steps aside for the Queen to address the crowd attending a welcoming ceremony at the White House in 1991. President Bush told her: "You have been freedom's friend for as long as we can remember" Image: President Bill Clinton with Her Majesty at London's Guildhall in 1994 before a banquet marking the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy Image: In 2007 the Queen met President George W Bush at a formal white-tie state dinner at the White House Image: Her Majesty with President Barack Obama in 2011 during his two-day state visit to London. She will now meet Donald Trump /

Mrs May could use the state visit to curry his favour, the newspaper added.

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The move would also allow Mrs May to swat away claims that UKIP acting leader Nigel Farage has closer links to the tycoon, which have been dismissed by Downing Street.

A spokeswoman for No 10 said: "No visit has been organised but the Prime Minister is looking forward to welcoming the president-elect to the UK when he chooses to visit."

Mrs May has been invited to visit Mr Trump at the earliest possible opportunity and she is expected to travel to the US after he is inaugurated on 20 January.

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But a state visit by Mr Trump to the UK would allow her to roll out the red carpet and offer a meeting with the Queen.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "State visits and other meetings with overseas heads of state are organised on the advice of the Government."

The reports came as Mrs May faced fresh calls to deliver what will be seen as a "hard Brexit" from a group of 60 Conservative MPs including prominent former cabinet ministers.

Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith, John Whittingdale and Theresa Villiers urged the PM to pull Britain out of the European single market and the customs union.

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They claimed getting out of the single market free trade zone was crucial for the UK to become free of Brussels regulations.

Eleven Labour, DUP and UKIP MPs also reportedly backed the call.

A Government spokeswoman insisted there were "no binary choices" in the UK's future trading relationship with the EU and that the Government would pursue a bespoke deal rather than an "off the shelf" solution.

She added: "That's why the Government is painstakingly analysing the challenges and opportunities for all the different sectors of our economy.

"The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants UK companies to have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market - and to let European businesses do the same here."