The president, on his second state visit—a rare occurrence for a sitting US president—spoke at an event hosted by King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate. Standing beside King Charles, Trump praised Prince William, then turned to Kate, calling her “so radiant and so healthy, so beautiful” and saying it was a “great honour” to meet her. Observers noted that the “healthy” comment likely referenced Kate’s recent cancer remission.

Many social media users condemned Trump’s tone, calling the compliments “inappropriate” and awkward, with some suggesting the speech subtly excluded Prince Harry by only mentioning “one son.” Others criticized his repeated breaches of protocol, citing previous incidents such as walking ahead of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Even King Charles reportedly laughed at some of Trump’s remarks, highlighting the unusual and controversial nature of his comments during the formal royal event.