Featured Image Credit: Samir Hussein / Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, King Charles III
Phoebe Tonks
Topics: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, King Charles III
Donald Trump briefly interrupted his welcoming speech to King Charles, who is visiting from the United Kingdom, to crack a joke about the length of his marriage to his wife, Melania.
The King is currently in America alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, on a four-day royal visit to mark the United States' 250 years of independence from Britain.
Despite a small faux pas, in which Trump was accused of breaking royal protocol, everything else seems to be flowing rather smoothly, with both global figures appearing in high spirits throughout their engagements so far.
As part of his speech outside the White House on Tuesday (April 28), Trump reflected on his own ties to the UK, which meant referencing his Scottish mother Mary Anne MacLeod.
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"She came to America at 19, met my incredible father, we loved him so much, we all loved him, we loved her, we loved him: Fred. And, they were married for 63 years," Trump said as King Charles, Queen Camilla, and his wife sat behind him on stage.
The president then turned from the podium toward Melania, who was dressed all in white, to tell her: "And, uh, excuse me, if you don't mind, that's a record we won't be able to match, darling."
He added: "I'm sorry, it's just not going to work out that way. We'll do well, but we're not going to do that well."
The couple have been married for 21 years and together share one son, Barron Trump. Given Trump’s own current age of 79 (he turns 80 in just a few months time), his assessment is accurate, as it’s unlikely he’ll live for another four decades to match his parents’ record.
Also in the same speech, Trump reflected on his mother’s love of British figures, including the late Queen Elizabeth, who passed away in September 2022.
"My mother, I just see it so clearly, she loved — I told the King this — she loved the Royal Family, and she loved the Queen," he said. "And any time the Queen was involved in a ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television, and she'd say, 'Look, Donald, look how beautiful that is'."
He continued: "She really did love the family, but I also remember her saying, very clearly, 'Charles, look, young Charles, he's so cute.' My mom! My mother had a crush on Charles, can you believe it? I wonder what she's thinking right now!"
A body language expert has claimed that King and POTUS appear to be enjoying each other's company during the state visit.
"The King and Trump share several open hand gestures, which is significant. There are no signs of power moves here. There are no overbearing gestures," said Darren Stanton, on behalf of Betfair Casino.
“It felt like an equal affair in terms of the balance of power. There were no signs of mind games. There were no microexpressions of anything that wasn’t open and honest."