Donald Trump has described the Prince of Wales as a “good-looking guy” after meeting him in Paris over the weekend.
“He looked really, really beautiful last night. Some people look better in person. He looked great. He looked really great, and I told him,” the US president-elect told the New York Post.
The incoming US president also said the pair touched on health issues in the royal family, adding that they had a “great, great conversation”.
Prince William met with Trump. After the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
“And I asked him about his wife and he said she’s doing fine,” the president-elect said.
“I asked him about his dad and his dad is fighting so hard, and he loves his dad and he loves his wife, so it was sad.”
The king’s “hard fight” was referred to by royal sources as referring to his efforts to stay active rather than a health update.
King is undergoing treatment for cancer, but wants to focus on his work, with overseas tours expected for next year.
“We talked for half an hour, a little over half an hour. We had a very good talk,” Trump said.
Kensington Palace did not comment on the account of the conversation.
Prince William and Trump arranged their meeting at short notice, with the international gathering taking the opportunity to reopen Notre Dame, the Paris cathedral damaged by fire five years ago.
The leaders of Britain and the United States have been talking warmly about the “special relationship” between the two countries.
Prince William’s diplomatic trip to meet Trump could help build bridges between the incoming Republican administration and the UK government.
Trump is a big fan of the royal family. After meeting the late Queen Elizabeth II, he recounted how he unsuccessfully tried to get her to tell him who his favorite American president or British prime minister was.
“I like them all,” Trump said the late queen had insisted to him, though he added: “A lot of people have said I’m their favorite president.”
The NY Post’s account of the interview also includes Trump’s comments to French President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the ceremony at the restored cathedral.
“He’s a good man, he’s done a good job. I said to him: ‘You have no idea what a good job you’ve done on this chapel’. It’s very hard to do. A lot of hard work.”