PRINCE William met US President-elect Donald Trump at the unveiling of the £1billion restoration of Notre Dame last night — as he stood in for the King.
The pair exchanged a warm handshake as Mr Trump patted William on the shoulder in a chat before the service.
They later had a meeting at the UK ambassador’s residence. It was scheduled for before the ceremony but the Prince’s arrival in Paris was delayed by bad weather.
As Mr Trump arrived he joked to onlookers about William: “He’s a big man, this one.”
After William asked if he had warmed up, the President-elect pointed at him and said: “He’s doing a fantastic job.”
Sources said he and Mr Trump discussed the special relationship between the UK and the US.
Earlier, William was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron at the glittering event, also attended by Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
William was scrambled to attend the re-opening of the Gothic cathedral — which went up in flames in 2019 — in a last-minute diplomatic mission, requested by Whitehall, in place of the King.
The visit was announced by Kensington Palace only on Friday — French officials had expected the King to attend.
It means the Prince has met Mr Trump since his November 5 US presidential victory.
Sources said the Prince’s meeting with Mr Trump was “a crucial way of maintaining the special relationship”.
The pair had previously met in 2019 during Mr Trump’s state visit to the UK.
Royal insiders added the fact William flew to Paris was a sign he would increasingly represent the country on the international stage.
When he revealed he had cancer in February, the King stepped away from public duties for three months and is still having treatment.
The King has given his son the go-ahead to conduct engagements like this and is confident William will prove a great ambassador
A royal source said: “This was a hugely significant meeting for Prince William and was all about him becoming a global statesman.
“The King has given his son the go-ahead to conduct engagements like this and is confident William will prove a great ambassador.
“This was a last-minute request from Whitehall. The government asked the family to provide a representative and William agreed he would like to fulfil the role.”
William also spoke to US First Lady Jill Biden at the cathedral.
Before the event, Mr Trump stood beside Mr Zelensky outside the Élysée Palace.
The pair — and Mr Macron — had held a meeting amid fears US support for Ukraine could cool when Mr Trump is sworn in.
Mr Zelensky was later given a standing ovation by the congregation at Notre Dame as he entered.
Secrets of the £1 billion restoration
By Ryan Parry
IT took more than 200 years to build the Notre Dame Cathedral — and just a few hours for a raging inferno to almost destroy it in 2019.
Hours after the devastating blaze, President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the Gothic masterpiece within five years.
It started a mind-boggling £1billion restoration project, with more than 1,600 tons of scaffolding going up.
More than 1,000 craftsmen and 2,000 labourers have worked around the clock to restore the cathedral.
Builders used 1,200 oak trees from 200 French forests to recreate the roof’s mammoth frame.
It had to support 4,000 square metres of lead weighing 210 tons.
More than 1,000 pieces of wood were also used to rebuild the 96-metre spire, first erected in 1859, with the largest pieces up to 12 metres long.
Using techniques not used for such a major build in centuries, 60 timber hewers and carpenters replicated the intricate medieval architecture.
Around 1,000 cubic metres of new stone were needed to renovate the vaults.
The Grand Organ’s 8,000 pipes were also dismantled, cleaned and restored, taking eight months.
A similar process took place with the bells in the north tower — no mean feat as the biggest weighs four tons.
President Macron declared last month on a visit: “You have achieved what was thought impossible.”