A masterful act of British diplomacy, deploying royal pomp, pageantry and ceremonial in pursuit of the national interest. Or a desperate example of groveling to a fickle American president with a frail ego.

Britain’s media was on Thursday divided in its interpretation of day one of the state visit, in which the red carpet was rolled out to President Trump with all the trappings at which British royalty excels.

Photos of a glittering banquet in Windsor Castle and of Mr. Trump’s procession through its grounds in a horse-drawn carriage adorned newspaper front pages. But the divide in perceptions was best illustrated by the front pages of two tabloids.

“The Special Bond,” ran the upbeat headline in The Sun, which reported that Mr. Trump’s speech at the state dinner on Wednesday evening praised the special relationship between the U.S. and Britain while the band had played the theme tune from the James Bond movies. The Sun, known for its conservative bent and sensational headlines, is part of News Corporation, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who attended the banquet.

By contrast, the Daily Mirror, a left-leaning paper, wrote on its front page: “The royals did their job. They smiled, laughed …. and massaged Trump’s frail ego.”

Those were the words of Russell Myers, the newspaper’s royal editor, who added on social media: “When Britain’s star has fallen so far and we are forced to grovel for recognition of the special relationship, our dutiful royals serve us well in desperate times.”