Prince William To Meet Trump At Notre-Dame Reopening In Paris

The Prince of Wales is set to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during his visit to France for the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Prince William will join global leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, to commemorate the restoration of the iconic landmark, which was severely damaged by a fire five years ago.

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Kensington Palace confirmed that the prince will also meet First Lady Jill Biden as part of his engagements during the visit.

The prince is attending the event at the request of the UK government, the palace added. This will be his first meeting with Trump since 2019, when the then-president visited the UK on a state visit.

Prince William’s attendance highlights the significance of the Notre-Dame reopening. His last official trip to Paris was in 2017, when he and the Princess of Wales spent two days there following the Brexit referendum.

More recently, he joined other world leaders in Normandy to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings earlier this year.

The medieval Notre-Dame Cathedral has remained closed since the devastating 2019 fire, which destroyed its iconic spire, stained-glass windows, and much of its wooden interiors.

However, the building’s main structure, including its twin bell towers, was preserved thanks to the efforts of 600 firefighters who battled the blaze for 15 hours.

Following the disaster, President Macron pledged to restore the historic church within five years.

This ambitious reconstruction project involved around 2,000 skilled workers, including masons, carpenters, restorers, sculptors, engineers, and art experts. The restoration is estimated to have cost €700 million (£582 million).