On December 7th, Donald Trump met Prince William in Paris at the British Embassy after the Notre Dame reopening ceremony. Trump told reporters attending the event that William was a “good man” who was “doing a fantastic job.” The two shook hands before entering another room to sit down and have a chat.
Trump has always been a fan of the Royals, and as he comes into power in early 2025, many speculate that this affinity for the Windsors can strengthen his relationship with Washington. When Trump met with the late Queen Elizabeth II, he said he “liked them all” and that while she didn’t give him a direct answer about who her favorite US president was, he had heard from many that he was her “favorite president.”
It is said that the meeting between Trump and Prince William took place as an attempt to deepen ties between the UK and the US. This would be beneficial for the Royals as they attempt to keep the USA as a strong ally while bringing back a relationship with Europe in a post-Brexit reality.
Trump also had some unexpected comments to say about Prince William’s appearance, telling the New York Post that not only did he have a “great talk” with the Prince “for a little more than half an hour” but also added that “He’s a good-looking guy. He looked really, very handsome last night. Some people look better in person? He looked great. He looked really nice, and I told him that.”
Besides showering William with compliments about his physical appearance, Trump discussed the health struggles of King Charles and Catherine, Prince of Wales, who are both dealing with recent cancer diagnoses. Trump commented that William revealed his wife was doing well but that his father was “fighting very hard,” which royal sources interpreted as attempts to live an active lifestyle rather than a negative health update.
King Charles has always made it a point to avoid politics, but he did have an afternoon tea double date with Camilla, Melania Trump, and Donald in 2019.
The President-elect gave these words of praise to England’s future King during a history-making meeting. Earlier that day, Prince William had discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In the NY Post’s interview, it was reported that Trump said to President Emmanuel Macron of France, “You have no idea how good a job you did’ on that chapel. That’s very hard to do. Painstaking.”
The medieval Catholic cathedral reopened nearly six years after the fire in 2019, which destroyed the world heritage landmark. Donald Trump and Prince William’s meeting took place as part of a weekend filled with ceremonies to celebrate the iconic structure’s comeback.
Will William’s diplomatic trip strengthen ties between these two countries, which many world leaders say share a “special relationship”? Or, with Trump’s odd flattery about William’s looks, is it the beginning of a bromance?