Prince William and Donald Trump met to talk about their ‘special relationship’ in a one-to-one meeting after the Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening ceremony.
The Prince of Wales was welcomed by French president Emmanuel macron and his wife Brigitte before shaking hands with US president-elect Donald Trump.
World leaders had gathered to witness the 800-year-old building’s reopening five years after the wooden spire and roof were destroyed in a blaze.
But Prince William and Trump met after the ceremony tonight to discuss the UK and US’s ‘special relationship’.
In the meeting, the president-elect revealed he thought William is ‘doing a fantastic job’ and could be heard saying ‘good man this one’.
They were expected to meet before the ceremony, but sadly the Prince of Wales’s arrival was delayed by Storm Darragh sweeping across the UK.
They were joined at the ceremony America’s first lady Jill Biden and nearly 50 other heads of state and government at the reopening celebration tonight.
Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, also attended and was met with applause after entering the building.
He is also expected meet with the Prince of Wales and Trump.
There are fears Trump could push Zelensky into accepting a peace deal with Russia after he bragged he could end the conflict in less than 24 hours if he was re-elected.
Security will be tight all through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year.
Notre Dame’s rector, the Rev Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said the cathedral is ‘more than just a French monument’ and a beloved treasure of world’s cultural heritage.
‘The cathedral is a magnificent symbol of unity,’ the rector said. ‘A sign of hope, because what seemed impossible has become possible.’
Tapping the doors three times with a staff crafted from charred wood salvaged from the cathedral’s fire-ravaged roof, Archbishop Ulrich declared the cathedral open for worship once more.
On Sunday, Archbishop Ulrich will lead the inaugural Mass and consecrate the cathedral’s new altar, designed by contemporary artist Guillaume Bardet to replace the one crushed beneath the flaming spire in the blaze.
Nearly 170 bishops from France and abroad will attend the Mass, alongside priests from all 113 parishes of the Paris diocese.
Other dignitaries coming to Paris include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, underlining the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace.
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