Melania Trump’s newly released memoir, Melania, includes revelations about her ongoing correspondence with King Charles III. The memoir was published on October 8, and an excerpt shared by The New York Times highlights this unique relationship between the former first lady and the British monarchy.
In a snippet featured in Vanity Fair, Melania, 54, reminisced about her and Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom in June 2019. During this visit, Queen Elizabeth II and her family welcomed the Trumps, showcasing their renowned hospitality. Melania expressed her admiration for the royal family, stating, “As we bid farewell to Her Majesty, we extended a cordial invitation for her return visit to the United States.” She noted that the Queen responded with a “warm smile” but, unfortunately, was unable to visit before her death in September 2022. Melania affirmed that her connection with the royal family endures, mentioning, “We exchange letters with King Charles to this day.”
The correspondence with King Charles has gained attention, particularly after it was revealed that he sent a letter to Donald Trump following an assassination attempt on the former president during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump, 78, is currently running for a second term in the 2024 presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Although Buckingham Palace does not comment on the private correspondence of the sovereign, Melania reflected on her first encounter with Charles in 2005 and their subsequent reconnection during her husband’s presidency. “The evening’s state banquet was a formal and elegant affair. I was seated next to Prince Charles, and it was an absolute pleasure to reconnect with him,” she wrote, according to The Independent.
During their conversation at the banquet, Melania noted Charles’s commitment to environmental conservation, recalling, “Our paths had crossed many years ago in New York City. This time we engaged in an interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation.”
The 2019 state banquet was attended by prominent members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, then-Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton. Notably absent were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who had just welcomed their first child, Archie.
The dynamic between Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II has long been a subject of scrutiny. According to Craig Brown’s recent book, Q: A Voyage Around the Queen, the monarch reportedly found Trump “very rude” during their meetings. Brown writes that she was particularly displeased with his habit of looking over her shoulder as if seeking out more interesting company.
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Donald and Melania Trump visited the U.K. twice during his presidency: once for a working trip in July 2018 and again for the state visit in June 2019. They also connected with the royal family during a NATO reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2019.
In a passage from Brown’s book, he mentions that Queen Elizabeth confided to a lunch guest about her discomfort with Trump’s behavior, stating, “She found him very rude.” This sentiment has been echoed in various reports about the former president’s interactions with the royal family.
In response to the criticisms presented in Brown’s book, Trump asserted his positive relationship with the Queen. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he claimed, “I heard I was her favorite president,” adding, “We spent hours together at a state dinner. She was a fantastic woman.”
Throughout her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth met with 13 of the 14 American presidents. Following her death at age 96, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden represented the United States at her state funeral at Westminster Abbey.
