A Brief History of Donald Trump’s Controversial Interactions with the British Royal Family
After much controversy, Donald Trump is finally heading to the U.K. for an official state visit next week, and on Monday, he'll touch down in England for a three-day itinerary filled with events also attended by the Queen, Prince Charles, and other members of the royal family.
But this isn't the first time Trump has interacted with the British royals. Here, a brief timeline of Trump's somewhat unsavory history with the Princess Diana, Duchess Kate, and the rest of the Windsors.
Trump courts Princess Diana.
Following the announcement in December 1992 that Princess Diana had separated from Prince Charles, then-American businessman Donald Trump reportedly started courting the Princess of Wales, allegedly bombarding her with flowers to the point that she said, "He gives me the creeps."
According to accounts by British journalist Selina Scott, Trump pursued Diana quite aggressively. "Trump clearly saw Diana as the ultimate trophy wife," Scott wrote in The Sunday Times. "As the roses and orchids piled up at her apartment she became increasingly concerned about what she should do. It had begun to feel as if Trump was stalking her."
The pair did meet once, though never dated, and after the Princess died, Trump had the following exchange on air with Howard Stern: "You could've nailed her, right?" Stern asked Trump. Trump replied, "I think I could've."
Then in 2000, Trump once again reminded the world that he had wanted to have sex with Diana, saying, "she was crazy, but those are minor details."
In recent years, Trump changed his story and denied having pursued Diana romantically. In an interview with Piers Morgan in 2016, he said, "I did respect her, but no interest from that standpoint. But I did meet her once, and I thought she was lovely."
This reversal of tone may not hold much sway with William and Harry, given how protective they are of their mother and her public memory. "When it comes to the younger royals, especially given his crude comments about Diana after her death, it is hard to imagine that Charles, William, Harry and Kate will view Trump as anything but crass and overbearing,” said royal biographer Christopher Andersen.
Trump defends the paparazzi who took intrusive photos of Duchess Kate.
In 2012, paparazzi used a powerful zoom lens to capture photos of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless while on vacation in the south of France with her husband, Prince William. These photos were then sold and published in a French magazine called Closer.
There was a public outcry and a broad consensus that the pictures were a grave invasion of Kate's privacy-and recently, a French court ruled in the royals' favor, awarding the Duke and Duchess €100,000 in damages.
Never one to shy away from rendering an opinion on a matter of public controversy, Donald Trump defended the photographers on Twitter, and shamed Duchess Kate, blaming her for the whole incident
"Kate Middleton is great--but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude--only herself to blame," he tweeted.
"Who wouldn't take Kate's picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!"
The Tweets are still public on his official account.
Kate Middleton is great--but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude--only herself to blame.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2012
Who wouldn't take Kate's picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2012
This unsavory history was on many people's minds when Theresa May revealed, during her first visit to Washington following the inauguration, that Donald Trump had accepted the Queen's invitation to Britain.
Meghan Markle speaks out about Trump.
The royal family keeps their political leanings to themselves, but Meghan Markle made her thoughts about Trump known before marrying Prince Harry in May. The then-actress called Trump "misogynistic" and said she would consider staying in Canada if he won the 2016 election. (Her show Suits filmed in Toronto.)
Prince Charles speaks out too, albeit a bit more subtly.
In December 2016, Prince Charles spoke publicly about the dangers of populism and xenophobia. He may well have been speaking of the climate-and campaign tactics-that lead to Brexit, but it's hard to ignore the veiled reference to Trump's politics as well.
“We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive to those who adhere to a minority faith. All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s."
Charles, a noted environmentalist, may also not be a fan of Trump's record on climate change. And in the forward of a recent book on the topic, Charles wrote: "I hope this modest attempt to alert a global public to the 'wolf at the door' will make some small contribution towards encouraging requisite action; action that must be urgently scaled up, and scaled up now."
Melania meets with Prince Harry.
In September of 2017, Melania Trump embarked on her first solo international trip under her husband's administration, a big step for the presidential spouse who has taken her time stepping into the role embraced by most modern first ladies.
Following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Michelle Obama, Melania attended the Invictus Games in Toronto, an Olympics-style international competition for wounded servicemen and women.
The Games are Prince Harry's passion project, and in the past, he has recruited the American president and his family to help support the games. In 2016, the Queen even appeared in a video to smack talk the U.S.
Though Melania did meet with Prince Harry in Ontario, there was hardly the same cheeky rapport between the Windsors and the first family as in years past.
Trump does not attend the royal wedding.
Given how Meghan spoke out against the Trump campaign, it's no surprise that he wasn't invited to her wedding, but in the end, no political leaders attended the celebration.
"It has been decided that an official list of political leaders–both UK and international– is not required for Prince Harry and Ms. Markle's wedding," a spokesperson told Harper's Bazaar in advance of the big day. "Her Majesty's Government was consulted on this decision, which was taken by The Royal Household."
Trump does meet with the Queen, but it's not a state visit.
In July of 2018, Donald Trump traveled to the U.K. on an official trip, but it wasn't a state visit.
When the President first accepted the invitation for a state visit England at the beginning of his term, he reportedly envisioned playing golf with the Queen, perhaps hoping for a photogenic moment similar to the shots of Reagan riding horses with the monarch during his term.
But that initial invitation immediately prompted a petition to block the meeting, and so it was put off. "Donald Trump's well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales," reads the document.
"Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen," it continues.
The petition quickly garnered over a million signatures, triggering the requirement for a debate in British parliament, but the government responded that Trump should be able to meet with the Queen.
And so, Trump had tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle, but avoided London as much as possible during his time int he country as massive protests have broken out in capital city.
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