President-elect Donald Trump says he had a telling conversation with Prince William about King Charles and Kate Middleton following a difficult year in which the King and Kate were each diagnosed with cancer.

On Dec. 8, Trump, 78, spoke about his meeting with the Prince of Wales, 42, the day before, recounting the conversation they had at the U.K. Ambassador’s Residence in Paris. Trump, William, world leaders and other heads of state convened in the capital of France on Dec. 7 for the ceremonial reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was devastated by fire in April 2019. William represented his father the sovereign at the commemoration, as he continues to elevate his role as a global statesman. 

“I asked him about his wife and he said she’s doing well. And I asked him about his father and his father is fighting very hard, and he loves his father and he loves his wife, so it was sad,” Trump told The New York Post about his one-on-one meeting with Prince William following the ceremony.

Donald Trump and Prince William in the Salon Jaune room at the U.K. Ambassador’s Residence in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024.  Aaron Chown – Pool/Getty

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“We had a great talk for half an hour, a little more than half an hour. We had a great, great talk,” the U.S. president-elect said. 

Trump also spoke about Prince William’s appearance, remarking that he looked well and “very handsome.” 

“He’s a good looking guy. He looked really, very handsome last night,” he told the Post. “Some people look better in person? He looked great. He looked really nice, and I told him that.”

“I had a great talk with the prince,” Trump said about the time they spent together.

Prince William and Donald Trump at the U.K. Ambassador’s Residence in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024.  Aaron Chown – Pool/Getty

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As the two men stood in the foyer posing for photos, Trump praised the heir apparent to the British throne, saying, “Good man, this one. He is doing a fantastic job.”

The British royal family has navigated a year unlike any other (which William has called “brutal“), as it was announced that both King Charles, 76, and Princess Kate, 42, were diagnosed with cancer and began treatment. Buckingham Palace announced the news about the King’s health in February, and his treatment is thought to be ongoing. The Princess of Wales shared in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, reduced her royal duties to focus on her health and announced in September that she completed chemotherapy.

“I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had,” Princess Kate said in a rare comment about navigating cancer at her Together at Christmas carol service in London on Dec. 6.

Kate Middleton speaks to Paloma Faith and Olivia Dean at her Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London on Dec. 6, 2024. Isabel Infantes-WPA Pool/Getty

“The unplanned,” said event performer Paloma Faith, who reportedly got Kate on the topic after asking the princess about her health.  

“The unplanned, exactly,” the Princess of Wales repeated. “But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times, and many who are here today.”

The royal family came out in full force to support Princess Kate’s fourth annualTogether at Christmas at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6, which marked her most major event since she shared on Sept. 9 that she completed chemo. The Prince and Princess of Wales brought along their kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, in what was the children’s first public appearance in six months, but King Charles and Queen Camilla weren’t among the royal ranks — which was probably for a practical reason. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla bid farewell to the Amir of Qatar and his wife Sheika Jawaher as they leave Buckingham Palace after the state visit to the U.K. on Dec. 4, 2024. Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty

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The King and Queen, 77, technically would have overshadowed Princess Kate as the most senior royals at the event, given their place ahead of her in the order of precedence, and Queen Camilla is also recovering from a chest infection.

The Together at Christmas service was a unifying night for the royal family, and Prince William traveled to Paris the following day.