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Donald Trump's state visit is "months away", Downing Street has insisted, after concerns the trip could leave the Queen mired in "political controversy".

Theresa May was urged to act quickly to delay Mr Trump's state visit so she didn't put the monarch in a "difficult position".

Former head of the Foreign Office Lord Ricketts said Mrs May should "move fast" to save the Queen from controversy by pushing back the President's state visit because of the "level of public opposition and anxiety".

Lord Ricketts said the Prime Minister's invitation was premature and unprecedented, as no president has ever been given a state visit during their first year in the White House.

He said it was the "wrong climate" for Mr Trump to come on a state visit and that as no date had been given for the trip, it should be delayed until further into his presidency and a political visit arranged instead.

He told Sky News' All Out Politics: "I think it could put the Queen in a difficult position if the current level of controversy is still going on because, remember a state visit is a very personal thing with a level of involvement by the Queen herself.

"She makes this invitation on the Government's advice - but I think she looks to the Government to make sure that she is not involved in political controversy through a visit."

A Downing Street statement on Monday made clear the Prime Minister looked forward to welcoming Mr Trump "this year".

However, a spokesman for Mrs May said on Tuesday that a state visit was "months away".

Lord Ricketts, who also made his views clear in a letter to The Times newspaper, questioned whether Mr Trump was "specially deserving of this exceptional honour".

Although Barack Obama first visited the UK two months into his presidency, it took 28 months before he made a state visit.

Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan - both two-term presidents - made no state visit at all during their eight years in power.

He said he could not recall a president who has been so reluctant to accept America's role as it has been in the last 70 years and he expected there would be further controversial policy announcements in the coming months.

The Queen has welcomed a number of controversial leaders for state visits in the past, including the Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 and the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1978.

Thousands of people across the UK took part in protests against Mr Trump's divisive travel ban and his state visit on Monday night.

A petition calling for the billionaire to be allowed to come to the UK as head of the US government - but for the invitation for a state visit to be rescinded - has topped 1.6 million signatures.

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A spokesman for Mrs May said yesterday that the recommendation to invite leaders for a state visit was made by the Royal Visits Committee.

However, both Number 10 and the Royal household have representatives sitting on the committee.

Despite the backlash, a Number 10 statement said: "To be clear, the Prime Minister extended an invitation on behalf of the Queen - and she was very happy to do so. The USA is one of this country's closest allies, and we look forward to hosting the President later this year."

It comes as Downing Street refused to disclose whether the Prime Minister had been briefed of the President's plan to introduce the travel ban during her trip to the US last week.

A spokesman said: "You will have heard the Prime Minister and the President's comments following their discussions and we are not going to go into details of a private meeting."

Reports emerged on Monday night on Channel 4 that Mrs May had been told of the impending ban.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "I can only assume the Prime Minister is so desperate for a Brexit deal that she looked the other way and didn't want to rock the boat.

"This is utterly shameful. Parliament needs to know what she knew and when."

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