Prince William Meets Trump Following Notre-Dame Reopening

The Prince of Wales, Prince William, held a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump during his visit to France for the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral. Prince William participated alongside other dignitaries in Paris to commemorate the restoration of the world-renowned landmark, which had been severely damaged by a fire five years prior. Following an initial handshake at the ceremony, the two individuals convened again later, during which the president-elect characterized the prince as a “good man” performing a “fantastic job”. At the event, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech concerning the restoration, stating: “We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will”. Among the other leaders and dignitaries present were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the outgoing US First Lady Dr Jill Biden, who attended on behalf of President Joe Biden. It was anticipated that Prince William would address the significance of the US-UK “special relationship” with both Mr. Trump and the First Lady during their separate engagements. Upon greeting the prince at the ceremony, Mr. Trump gave William a pat on the shoulder before they exchanged handshakes and conversed briefly. Their previous encounter occurred in 2019, when Mr. Trump, then president, undertook a state visit to the UK. Prince William, attending at the behest of the UK government, participated in the Saturday ceremony alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and dozens of other heads of state. The meeting between William and Trump took place at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris. The prince was in the foyer upon Mr. Trump’s arrival. They again shook hands and exchanged greetings, after which Mr. Trump gestured toward the Prince of Wales and remarked: “Good man, this one”. Prince William inquired if the president-elect had warmed up, to which Mr. Trump responded affirmatively, adding that “it was a beautiful ceremony”. Kensington Palace characterized the meeting as “warm and friendly.” Over the course of their 40-minute discussion, William and Trump addressed various global matters, with a particular emphasis on the significance of the UK/US special relationship. The president-elect also recounted warm and fond recollections of the late Queen, for which the prince reportedly expressed “extreme gratitude.” Earlier in the day, William had been scheduled to meet both Mr. Trump and Dr. Biden, but Kensington Palace indicated that his journey from the UK to France was delayed due to weather conditions. During the ceremony, The Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich guided over 1,500 attendees through the reopening service. A choir performed as Mr. Macron seated himself beside Mr. Trump. A message from the Pope was publicly read prior to the French president’s address. Certain elements of the event required reconfiguration due to stormy weather, leading to a concert originally planned for the esplanade being held on Friday. The prince’s most recent official visit to Paris occurred in 2017, when he traveled with the Princess of Wales for a two-day engagement following the Brexit referendum outcome. Earlier this year, he participated with other world leaders in Normandy for the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Second World War D-Day landings. The medieval cathedral had remained closed since a significant fire in 2019, which devastated its wooden interiors and caused its spire to collapse. Approximately 600 firefighters combated the inferno for 15 hours. The primary structure of the 850-year-old edifice was preserved, along with its two bell towers. Mr. Macron established a five-year objective for the Catholic church’s reconstruction soon after the fire. An estimated 2,000 professionals, including masons, carpenters, restorers, roofers, foundry-workers, art experts, sculptors, and engineers, contributed to the project, which reportedly incurred costs of €700m (£582m). According to the cathedral’s rector, tickets for the initial week of Masses within the cathedral were fully reserved within 25 minutes.