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Donald Trump's most outlandish comments about the royals - including one family member he called 'terrible'


The King and Queen will host the US President and First Lady Melania Trump for a state visit in Windsor from 17 to 19 September


Donald Trump exiting car in blue suit© Getty Images
September 17, 2025
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The King and Queen will host President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, for an unprecedented second state visit from 17 to 19 September. The now-47th President was previously feted by a state visit in 2019. Mr Trump is renowned for his love of the British royal family, and has boasted that he had "automatic chemistry" with the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The President's mother, Mary Anne, was born on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and he has two golf resorts in the country, one of which is located a 90-minute drive from the King's Balmoral estate. Ahead of the three-day state visit, which is expected to include a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet, take a look back at some of Mr Trump's comments about the royal family, from the controversial to the most flattering.

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Queen Elizabeth II and US President, Donald Trump attend the D-day 75 Commemorations© Getty Images

The late Queen and Donald Trump pictured in 2019

Queen Elizabeth II

Mr Trump has often spoken of his bond with Elizabeth II, saying: "I really got to know her because I sat with her many times and we had automatic chemistry, you will understand that feeling."

When the monarch died in September 2022, he released a statement in tribute, saying that he and his wife would "always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty's generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humour".

He added: "What a grand and beautiful lady she was - there was nobody like her!"

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Harry in the background at Buckingham Palace as Donald Trump walks with the Queen© Getty Images

Harry did not directly talk to Donald Trump during his first state visit to the UK in 2019

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The now-47th American president has been publicly critical of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who live in the US with their children, and warned Harry could face consequences if he lied about taking drugs on his US visa application. He also lambasted the King's younger son and Meghan, accusing them of treating the late Queen "very disrespectfully".

But at the start of February, he appeared to rule out deporting Harry, saying: "I'll leave him alone" and adding: "He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible."

Meghan previously labelled Mr Trump "divisive" and a "misogynist".

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The pair ahead of a dinner at Winfield House in June 2019 © Getty Images

Then Prince Charles pictured with the President in June 2019

King Charles

Prime Minister Keir Starmer handed the President a letter from the King inviting him for a second state visit during his visit to the White House in February.

Reacting to the letter, Mr Trump said of Charles: "He's a beautiful man, a wonderful man and we appreciate – I've known him, gotten to know him very well, actually, first term and now second term.

The President and the King may have opposing views on climate change, but during his previous visit to the UK in 2019, Mr Trump said of then Prince Charles: "He is really into climate change and I think that's great. What he really wants and what he really feels warmly about is the future. He wants to make sure future generations have climate that is good climate, as opposed to a disaster, and I agree."

Donald Trump tends not to do things by halves, and there are certainly no half measures taken when it comes to his lifelong love of the royals. With the president now in the UK for his second state visit, over on The HELLO! Royal Club Katie Fitzpatrick explores the roots of his regal infatuation, and reveals the occasion when this infatuation reportedly became all too literal for one beloved late royal. You will need to be a member of the club to read the post in the full

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President Donald Trump meets Britain's Prince William on December 7, 2024 in Paris, France© Getty Images

Mr Trump met Prince William in Paris in December 2024

The Prince of Wales

When Mr Trump met the Prince of Wales in Paris last November after the ceremonial reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, he remarked on William that he was "very handsome" and "some people look better in person".

As they met at the residence of the British ambassador in the French capital, the President said of the Prince: "He's doing a fantastic job."

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Princess Kate looking serious as she attends a ceremonial welcome for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea in November© Getty

Kate attended the US state visit in 2019

The Princess of Wales

After meeting with Prince William in Paris in 2024, Mr Trump told the New York Post that the royal shared health updates on King Charles and Kate.

"I asked him about his wife and he said she’s doing well. And I asked him about his father and his father is fighting very hard, and he loves his father and he loves his wife, so it was sad," Mr Trump said at the time.

But the former businessman's tweets about the Princess in the wake of French Closer publishing paparazzi photographs of the then Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless on a private holiday in 2012 remain on his public profile. 

He tweeted at the time: "Kate Middleton is great--but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude--only herself to blame."

And then added: "Who wouldn't take Kate's picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!"

The Prince and Princess were awarded £92,000 in damages in 2017 following a lawsuit against the magazine.

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Princess Diana in a black outfit© John Stillwell - PA Images

Mr Trump reportedly pursued Diana

Diana, Princess of Wales

Mr Trump reportedly used to bombard Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace with massive bouquets, according to broadcaster Selina Scott, who said he saw the Princess as "the ultimate trophy wife".

In a Howard Stern radio interview recorded just months after the Princess died in 1997, Mr Trump also branded her "beautiful" but "crazy".  

However, in recent years he has denied pursuing 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." 

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