Read to find out how the Royal family reacted to a controversial statement by the former US President.
The British Royal family is known to maintain a sense of decorum when it comes to their actions, and the way they speak. The air of elegance reflects the weight of the Royal lineage and the rich history of the monarchy which spans hundreds of years.
That being said, when an external party speaks ill of a particular Royal family member, especially if it is conveyed in a crass manner, it is not entirely surprising if certain Royal members respond in return with some fire.
Bad blood
The fact that Donald Trump's presidency was mired in controversies and vehement opposition is an understatement. The former president of the US proved to be one of the most divisive presidents the country had ever seen, and the majority of the nations around the world were at odds with Trump's presidency.
The British Royal family was no different, as the interactions between Trump and the Monarchy haven't been the best over the years. Town and Country Magazine reports that Trump aggressively pursued Princess Diana, sending countless bouquets of flowers which prompted Diana to respond by saying 'He gives me the creeps.'
Speaking to Piers Morgan in 2016, Trump reversed his tone on the subject, denying that he had a romantic interest in the late Princess of Wales. He said 'I did respect her, but no interest from that standpoint. But I did meet her once, and I thought she was lovely.'
Unsolicited perspective
The year 2012 wasn't entirely easy for the Monarchy, as the paparazzi utilized a powerful lens to capture images of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless during her vacation with Prince William. The photographs were then sold to the French magazine Closer, reports Town and Country Magazine.
A public outcry ensued and the general consensus was that this was a blatant invasion of privacy, which prompted the Prince and Princess of Wales to take legal action against the photographers involved as well as the magazine. It wasn't until five years later the court reached a decision and awarded the couple £94,000 in damages, reports The Sun.
In the midst of these events, Trump had interjected and tweeted about the incident. In his tweet, he sided with the paparazzi and blamed Kate for allowing herself to be in such a compromising position, but critics noted that this perspective ignores the idea of privacy, which is the very same purpose the couple were staying at a secluded villa.
Trump tweeted:
Kate Middleton is great – but she shouldn’t be sunbathing in the nude – only herself to blame. Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!
A heated response
Christopher Andersen's new book The King: The Life of Charles III speaks about this particular issue and specifically notes that King Charles and both of his sons expressively opposed Trump's perspective on the incident, reports The Independent.
An excerpt from Andersen's book states:
Trump’s criticism of Kate resulted in what one Clarence House butler referred to as ‘torrents of profanity’ from both Prince Charles and his sons.
King Charles in particular wasn't fond of the former US President, and Andersen further states that during the wedding reception of Prince Harry, King Charles consistently inquired to his influential American friends about whether Trump would be impeached or not.
Andersen said:
Charles asked on several occasions how likely it was that President Trump would be impeached. ‘Trump seems to be detached from reality, doesn’t he?’ he asked a former Washington official who now headed up a major US conglomerate. ‘What a ghastly, awful man.’
While it is not surprising that the Royal family is not a big fan of Donald Trump, although unverified, Andersen's account of how King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry responded to Trump's statement indicates how the Royal family is diametrically opposed to the former President of the US.
Read more:
⋙ The Crown: Inside Prince Philip’s relationship with Penelope Knatchbull
⋙ Why the British Royal family members are wearing poppy pins
