Donald Trump shared warm memories of late Queen with Prince William during ‘special relationship’ talks in Paris
DONALD Trump shared fond memories of the late Queen as he met Prince William after Notre Dame's opening ceremony in Paris.
The President-elect also joked with the royal as he called him a "big man" during a discussion about the "special relationship" between the two nations.
The pair appeared to have a friendly conversation after they met in the foyer of the UK ambassador’s residence in the French capital, as the President-elect told the prince “It’s very good to see you.”
They shook hands and greeted each other as Trump then joked “he's a big man this one.”
The Prince even asked the President-elect if he had “warmed up” after the cold and rainy weather in Paris.
Trump said: “I haven’t warmed up yet but I had a good time, it was a beautiful ceremony.”
Read more on world news
The royal and Trump then smiled as they posed for pictures, as the President-elect pointed his thumb at Prince William and said: “He’s doing a fantastic job.”
The pair then sat on sofas next to each other and spoke in the ‘Jaune Room’ of the ambassador's home.
William said: “Warm the toes up after the cathedral.”
Trump laughed and replied: “Right.”
Trump shared some of his memories with the late Queen, who he met on state visits as president, Kensington Palace revealed.
Prince William was "extremely grateful" for the warm words Trump shared about the late Queen.
The rest of the pair's 40-minute discussion focused on the relationship between the UK and the US, while also talking about global issues.
The incoming US leader joined the Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday to mark the return of the 800-year-old cathedral.
The iconic building has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019 tore through the roof and destroyed much of the site's heritage.
Prince William travelled alone to Paris to represent the United Kingdom at the important event.
Trump and William briefly met inside Notre Dame before the ceremony started on Saturday night.
The President-elect gave Prince William a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and exchanged words for a few seconds.
The royal was scheduled to meet the President-elect ahead of the ceremony to discuss the importance of the US-UK's 'special relationship' with Trump, Kensington Palace announced.
The 42-year-old was also due to meet with outgoing First Lady Jill Biden, before the grand ceremony.
Prince William also spoke to Mrs Biden at the Notre Dame Cathedral and was expected to have discussed the importance of US-UK relations.
The Prince said: "It is an immense achievement to renovate such a beautiful and culturally important building. Thank you and well done to everyone who has been a part of this project."
This trip to Paris marks William's first visit since 2017 and will be his first meeting with Trump since his state visit to the UK in 2019.
The President-elect, making his first foreign trip since his election win, arrived at Orly airport in the south of Paris aboard a private plane just before 7am on Saturday, a source told AFP.
William's discussion about the US-UK alliance comes as Trump has touted a more isolationist foreign policy and pledged to slap tariffs on trade.
Trump also held talks with Macron before the ceremony and also met Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
One of the President-elect's closest allies Elon Musk was also invited to the opening ceremony.
Cameras caught Trump staring as the Tesla boss walked past him to his seat away from political leaders and royals, who were at the front of the cathedral.
With dozens of guests present, Notre Dame's reopening will include the ritualised opening of the cathedral's massive doors, the reawakening of its organ and the celebration of the first Mass.
Macron toured the fully restored church last week as cameras were allowed in for the first time after the rebuilding project.
The extensive restoration took more than 60 months and cost a whopping £600million.
Work has included the total reconstruction of the collapsed fan-vaulted roof and spire, while builders unearthed previously unseen treasures from the smoking ruin.
Some 1200 oaks from across France were needed to completely rebuild the framework of the nave and the choir.
The ceremony comes at a critical time for Macron whose government is facing a crisis.
Earlier this week the 46-year-old announced he would not resign after his prime minister Michel Barnier lost a no-confidence vote in France's parliament.
Trump's movements will be highly watched - particularly if he were to meet with Zelensky.
He has pledged to get peace in Ukraine on "day one" with aides making clear Ukraine may need to cede land for peace, which Ukraine has rejected.
On April 15 2019, millions around the world looked on in horror as flames tore through Notre Dame.
Dramatic pictures showed the blaze ripping through much of the building and destroying the church's spire and much of its Gothic roof.
Ancient artefacts were burned, along with most of the wood and metal roof, along with the landmark spire.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Fire chiefs said the two towers and the main structure of the cathedral had been saved by 400 heroic firefighters after they battled long into the night.
The exact cause of the blaze was never established, but investigators believed it to be accidental, started by either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system.
Our Lady of Paris: A history of Notre Dame
NOTRE Dame was one of the world's most iconic buildings before the fire.
- One of the city's oldest and most recognisable buildings, work began on Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in 1163.
- The original structure was completed nearly 200 years later, in 1345, and its name literally translates to "Our Lady of Paris".
- Some 13 million people now visit the Catholic landmark every year - more than 30,000 every day on average.
- It is believed to be the most visited structure in the French capital.
- The first stone of the original structure was laid in front of Pope Alexander III after the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, proposed the cathedral after his election in 1160.
- It grew iconic in popular culture through several artistic works, including the Victor Hugo novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was published in 1831 and adapted by Disney in 1996.
- The spire, which collapsed during the devastating fire, has undergone several changes in the building's history.
- The 13th century spire was dismantled during the French Revolution and later rebuilt in the 1860s.
- The cathedral's stained glass rose windows – at least one of which has been destroyed by the blaze - are also some of its most architecturally significant features.
- A brass plate set in stone outside the building also marks "Point Zero" in Paris, the centre of the city.
- It is the point in France from where all distances to Paris are measured.
- A message engraved around the stone reads: "Point zero des routes de France".