From Trump to Sheikh Zayed: the great and the good at the Taj Mahal

For decades, the domed monument to love has been the backdrop to holiday snaps for presidents, prime ministers, film stars and millions of tourists every year when they visit India

Sheikh Zayed during his tour of Taj Mahal on January 4, 1975. Courtesy National Archives

Diana, Princess of Wales, poses alone at the Taj Mahal during her visit in India on February 11, 1992. Getty Images

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit the Taj Mahal on April 16, 2016. Getty Images

Mark Zuckerberg at Taj Mahal on October 27, 2015. Mark Zuckerberg / Facebook

US First Lady Hillary Clinton, right, and her daughter Chelsea visit the world's greatest monument to love, the Taj Mahal, on March 30, 1995. AFP

US President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea tour the grounds of India's Taj Mahal on March 22, 2000. AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to his wife Ludmila as they pose in front of the Taj Mahal on October 4, 2000. AFP

US Hollywood actor Tom Cruise waves as he poses at the Taj Mahal on December 3, 2011. AFP

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, his wife Sophie Gregoire and their children pose for a photograph during their visit to Taj Mahal on February 18, 2018. AFP

US actress Eva Longoria, left, poses with fiance Jose Antonio Baston at the Taj Mahal on December 16, 2015. AFP

Crown Princess Victoria Of Sweden visits the Taj Mahal on October 19, 2008. Getty Images

British actor Ben Kingsley, right, poses with his wife Daniela Lavender in front of the historic Taj Mahal monument on December 2, 2009. AFP

US talk show host Oprah Winfrey poses in front of the Taj Mahal on January 19, 2012. AFP

Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Colin Miller and Michael Slater of Australia, take in the sights at the Taj Mahal on March 5, 2001. Getty Images

Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and his wife Lao An visit the Taj Mahal on January 13, 2002. Getty Images

Hollywood star Will Smith gestures as he visits the Taj Mahal on October 10, 2018. AFP

Jos Buttler, David Willey, Joe Root and Liam Plunkett of England pose for a portrait during a visit to the Taj Mahal on March 24, 2016. Getty Images

Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Jeff Bezos, left, and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez pose for a picture during their visit at the Taj Mahal on January 21, 2020. AFP

Jacqueline Kennedy stands in front of the Taj Mahal during her semiofficial visit to India on March 15, 1962. Getty Images

No state visit to India could seemingly ever be complete without a trip to the Taj Mahal.

Agra's towering, domed, monument to love has served as the background to countless famous snaps from Sheikh Zayed in 1975 to Princess Diana in 1992 to Mark Zuckerberg in 2015.

So, this week, US President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania, followed in the footsteps of six past American presidents with a state visit to India and naturally stopped off at the Unesco-listed, Instagram hot spot.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid on an oversize state visit for the Trumps, including a rally of 100,000 people in a "Namaste Trump" event to rival last year's "Howdy Modi" gathering in Texas.

There was also a military parade before the countries agreed a $3 billion (Dh11bn)  defence deal, as well as a visit to the ashram of India's independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.

But beneath the surface is a simmering trade dispute that has existed since the US cancelled India’s special trade status and could trouble the relationship between the countries.

Mr Trump hinted this week that the two nations could iron out their issues, but admitted Mr Modi was a tough negotiator.

Senior US officials have also hinted that Mr Trump could bring up the new Indian citizenship law that can grant nationality to thousands of non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries.

The law has sparked months of protests and 30 people have died since December when the bill was passed by parliament.

A policeman and two protesters were killed in clashes on Monday as Mr Trump arrived in the country.