Speaking directly to the Prince and Princess, the President said that William had “an unbelievably successful future” ahead of him and that it was wonderful to see Princess Catherine, whom he affectionately called Kate, looking “so radiant so healthy and so beautiful.”
“It seems as though Trump has an eye on the future generation,” says Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine. “He’s obviously genuinely impressed by William and who wouldn’t be impressed by Kate. She looked incredible. It seems a lot of effort has been made for the Trumps and the Waleses to spend some time together on this trip.”
Trump, an anglophile and huge fan of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was said to be looking forward to this state visit more than any other. It is the first time he has seen Charles since he was crowned king and his second meeting with Prince William, who he met with last year in Paris. The president heaped praise on William, telling reporters he was “doing a fantastic job.”
“I would expect that William and Catherine would have been quite touched and maybe a bit taken aback by so many compliments,” adds Seward. “It’s very flattering to have someone as powerful as Trump praising you and treating you like a very special friend. It’s unusual for the Head of State to be that personal, but it’s Trump’s style.
“The royals have to deal with so many dullards, Trump is actually really refreshing. He’s outspoken and quite exciting to be around because you don’t know what’s going to happen. Catherine looked quite taken aback when he praised her so personally. She looked a bit embarrassed, but that’s Trump. I think the royals are probably amused and bemused by it all.”
During Wednesday’s dinner in Windsor, Trump made a point about being the only US president in history to be granted the privilege of two state visits and joked about hoping he would be the only one to make King Charles laugh.
A source close to the king told Vanity Fair that Charles has said the state visit “could not be better.”
Adds the source, “I understand that His Majesty the King is thrilled about the visit and very pleased with the global optics of it all. The Royal Family really did pull out all the stops.”
Charles was equally effusive in his speech on Wednesday, pointing out that he had made 20 visits to the US and cherishes the special relationship between the two countries, calling it an “enduring bond.” He also joked about Trump’s love of British soil and golf courses.
