Donald Trump momentarily paused his welcome remarks for King Charles during the monarch’s visit from the United Kingdom, using the opportunity to make a lighthearted comment about how long he and Melania have been married.
While addressing the audience, Trump spoke about his personal connection to the UK, which led him to talk about his Scottish mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.
“She came to America at 19, met my incredible father, we loved him so much, we all loved him, we loved her, we loved him: Fred. And, they were married for 63 years,” Trump said as King Charles, Queen Camilla, and his wife sat behind him on stage.
He then looked away from the lectern toward Melania, who was wearing an all-white outfit, and added: “And, uh, excuse me, if you don’t mind, that’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling.”
Trump continued: “I’m sorry, it’s just not going to work out that way. We’ll do well, but we’re not going to do that well,” he said.
Trump and Melania have been married for 21 years and share one son, Barron Trump. With Trump currently 79 and approaching 80, he suggested it would be difficult for them to reach the same milestone as his parents, who were together for more than six decades.
Later in the speech, he also described his mother’s enthusiasm for prominent British figures, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022.
“My mother, I just see it so clearly, she loved — I told the king this — she loved the royal family, and she loved the queen,” he said. “And any time the queen was involved in a ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television, and she’d say, ‘Look, Donald, look how beautiful that is.’”
He then claimed she also had a soft spot for Charles when he was younger, saying: “she really did love the family, but I also remember her saying, very clearly, ‘Charles, look, young Charles, he’s so cute.’ My mom! My mother had a crush on Charles, can you believe it? I wonder what she’s thinking right now!”
King Charles is currently in the US with Queen Camilla for a four-day trip tied to the 250th anniversary of American independence from Britain.
Although there was minor criticism after Trump was accused of breaking royal etiquette by tapping the King on the shoulder, the rest of the visit has appeared to progress smoothly, with both men looking upbeat during their appearances.
A body language specialist even suggested the two seemed comfortable around each other. “The King and Trump share several open hand gestures, which is significant. There are no signs of power moves here. There are no overbearing gestures,” explained Darren Stanton.
He added: “It felt like an equal affair in terms of the balance of power. There were no signs of mind games. There were no microexpressions of anything that wasn’t open and honest.”