Princess Kate and First Lady Melania Trump Had a ‘Genuinely Pleasant Time Together’ During State Visit

It was, according to President Donald Trump, “truly one of the highest honors of my life.” After months of bragging about being the only U.S. president in history to be granted the privilege of two state visits to Great Britain — his first came in 2019 — on Sept. 17, the American leader and his wife, Melania Trump, descended the steps of their helicopter, Marine One, onto the manicured grounds of King Charles III’s Windsor estate. But before the cancer-stricken monarch and Queen Camilla transported them to Windsor Castle in a pair of gilded coaches, the president and first lady were officially welcomed by Prince William and Princess Catherine. As Trump shook the Princess of Wales’ hand, he gushed, “You’re beautiful, so beautiful.”

Hours later at a white-tie state dinner held in the castle’s 1,000-year-old banquet hall, the 79-year-old again fawned over Kate, regal in a gold gown and diamond and pearl tiara. This time, he called her “so radiant, so healthy and so beautiful” as he delivered a toast, eliciting a gracious if dutiful smile from the 43-year-old. Also smiling? The president’s wife — though perhaps it was through gritted teeth, a source tells Star. “It must have taken a lot of reserve for Melania to carry on as if it didn’t bother her. But how could it not?” (Another source disputes Star’s story.) Though the first lady, 55, “must be used to Donald blurting things out like this,” admits the first source, “Melania’s reaction to Donald calling Kate ‘beautiful’ so many times was carefully controlled. She was mindful not to show what she was feeling. She takes her role as first lady seriously and understands what she does and says never goes unnoticed.”

Never Complain, Never Explain

Despite what the source admits were “awkward” moments, Kate was eager to make both Trumps feel comfortable. “She knows it’s important to the monarchy to be regarded positively. That is always foremost in her mind,” explains the source. Amid the president’s repeated comments about her appearance, “Kate made every effort to welcome Melania and make her feel at ease — that’s her duty.” Upon Melania’s arrival, Kate broke the ice by complimenting the “Macintosh” — Brit-speak for the Burberry Kensington trench coat the first lady was wearing — telling her it’s “the same one I have, I wear it each time I fly,” a lip reader told Tyla. Melania kindly responded that the “exceptional” coat was “such a comfort” to her. “Kate excels in small talk, no matter how uncomfortable the setting is,” says the source.

Kate’s smiles for the cameras are especially notable given what the American president has said about her in the past. Back in 2012, she was photographed sunbathing topless at a private villa in the South of France. The pics — taken with a long-lens camera — were published in a French magazine. The Apprentice star, still years away from being elected, weighed in on Twitter, per NewsNation. “Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing,” he posted. “Come on Kate!” (In 2017, she sued the mag in a French court and was awarded $116K in damages.)

The high-profile state visit followed a challenging period for the mom of three, who in January revealed she was in remission following a cancer diagnosis a year earlier. But despite all the pressure that came with all eyes focused on her, “Kate showed she’s ready to take on the highest level of royal responsibilities,” says the source. While the royals delivered a masterclass in hospitality — from horse-drawn carriages to troops in ceremonial dress to the glittering, grand feast at the castle — Kate launched a royal charm offensive, her poise, respect for protocol and grasp of “soft power” through diplomacy successfully captivating the leader of Britain’s most powerful ally.

William, 43, who is estranged from younger brother Harry, 41, had a bonding moment with his guest as well when Trump took a thinly veiled swipe at the California transplant in his toast. The president has made it clear he’s no fan of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, looking into deporting Harry over his past drug use and calling Meghan, 44, “terrible,” per New York Post. At the dinner, he praised King Charles and his “remarkable son, His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales,” with no mention of Harry. William, says the source, “seemed to be amused by the president’s candid and obviously unprepared speech.”

Resplendent in gold — it’s no coincidence that’s Trump’s favorite color, says the source — Kate delivered the “fairy tale princess moment” the president clearly wanted, Bethan Holt, author of The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style, told Page Six. “When he gave his speech, he kept talking about the queen — and kept looking at Kate.” Indeed, after Trump called the king, 76, “a very, very special man,” he mentioned “a very, very special queen” — and looked at Kate before glancing at Britain’s actual queen, Camilla, 78. “For Donald Trump,” Holt said, “Kate is already queen!”

Melania, too, looked beautiful, though her ensembles faced more scathing critiques than the royal’s did. Online commenters mocked the wide-brimmed, face-obscuring plum hat she wore with her gray Dior suit when she arrived, while criticism of the bold yellow belted off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress she donned for dinner that night, which many felt was too risqué for such a formal occasion, was even more intense. “Clearly, Melania intended to stand out — and she did,” says the source, pointing out the first lady has long invited commentary on her fashion (as she did with the “I really don’t care, do u?” Zara jacket she wore on a visit to a migrant children’s shelter in 2018). “Though maybe not in the way she would have wanted.”

Bonding Experience

After all the formalities and fanfare of the previous day, Kate and Melania reunited on Sept. 18 for a much more relaxed joint engagement with a group of young Squirrel Scouts — a setting where both mothers appeared perfectly at ease and in sync. (Kate has sons George, 12, and Louis, 7, and daughter Charlotte, 10; Melania has son Barron, 19, with the president, who is also a father to four children from his first two marriages.)

“They ended up having a genuinely pleasant time together, chatting about their children and charitable work,” says the source. “Meetings between dignitaries are always uncomfortable and unnatural at first, but once it was just them, it went better than either expected,” both confided privately, according to the source. “Once the photo ops were over, they were able to drop some of the pretenses and really connect.”