President Trump recalls 'warm and fond memories' of late Queen with Prince William at star-studded Notre Dame ceremony — live updates
Prince William arrived at the opening of Notre Dame cathedral on December 7, 2024, after a slight delay caused by Storm Darragh, where he was greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, and later enjoyed productive meetings with President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing first lady Dr Jill Biden.
Trump recalled "warm and fond memories" of the late Queen with Prince William, said Kensington Palace, for which William was "extremely grateful".
The Prince of Wales had been expected to meet privately with Trump and Dr Biden ahead of the ceremony, but Kensington Palace confirmed their meetings would take place after the ceremony, with William meeting Trump first in the Salon Jaune of the UK Ambassadors' Residence in Paris.
As Trump walked in, William shook his hand and Trump exclaimed: "Good man, this one," before telling the group of reporters that William was doing a "fantastic job".
Watch the moment below:
As they shook hands, the Prince asked Trump if he had "warmed up" after the ceremony, to which he responded: "I haven’t warmed up yet [but] I had a good time, it was a beautiful ceremony."
Kensington Palace shared that "the warm, friendly meeting lasted around 40 minutes," and "the pair discussed a range of global issues but focused on the importance of the UK/US special relationship".
"President Trump also shared some warm and fond memories with The Prince about the Late Queen for which HRH was extremely grateful," the statement read.
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Upon arrival at the cathedral around 6.30pm local time, William was greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, and they posed for pictures.
Inside, he was greeted by Trump, who patted William on the shoulder before they shook hands.
Dr Biden was one of the last to arrive, and was joined by her daughter Ashley.
William was wearing a long and warm overcoat over his suit, and was seated next to Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
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Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, the singer and fashion model Carla Bruni, were in attendance as was Hollywood actor Salma Hayek and her husband, the French billionaire and retail magnate François-Henri Pinault, who donated 100 million euros ($105 million) towards the restoration of the cathedral.
Tech CEO, and Trump confidante, Elon Musk was also in attendance.
US First Lady Dr Biden was seated between her daughter and Brigitte Macron, but was seen speaking to President-elect Trump after her arrival
Dr Jill wore a gorgeous blue cashmere scarf to keep warm in the cold Parisian temperatures, and paired it with black overcoat.
During the ceremony, firefighters, rescuers and builders involved in the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral were honored.
It is thought some 250 companies and hundreds of experts were part of the five-year restoration project at a cost of hundreds of millions of euros.
Paris' famed cathedral will reopen five years after a fire tore through the Gothic landmark, almost destroying centuries of history.
The reopening ceremony is not just a religious event for Catholics across the globe, but a cultural moment of unity; the ceremony will begin with a "reawakening," that will see the Archbishop symbolically tap the cathedral’s restored doors with a staff made from charred wood salvaged from the fire.
This act will mark the official return of worship to the beloved monument.
William’s presence in Paris highlights his growing responsibilities on the world stage, as he represents the United Kingdom.
The heir to the throne is attending the event at the request of His Majesty’s Government, and it is believed his meeting with Dr Biden and Trump will focus on strengthening ties between the two nations.
