Trump releases statement about the Queen's death: 'What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her!'
- Donald Trump called Queen Elizabeth II " a grand and beautiful lady" in a statement following her death.
- "There was nobody like her!" wrote Trump, who visited with the queen twice in England while president.
Former President Donald Trump expressed his "sincere condolences" in a statement about the death of Queen Elizabeth II, saying he and former first lady Melania "will always cherish our time together with the Queen."
"What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her!…" he wrote on Truth Social.
The longest-reigning monarch in British history, the queen was 96 when she died on September 8, 2022. She met 12 US presidents total, including with President Harry Truman in 1951 while still a princess. Her meetings with Trump in 2018 and 2019 "were surely the most unusual," Kitty Kelley, author of "The Royals," wrote for Insider.
Trump's 2018 visit to England was met with protests and a giant orange baby balloon resembling the US president in a diaper in London, and he kept the queen waiting when they were supposed to meet for tea. He breached royal protocol in 2019 by placing his hand on the queen's back during a banquet at Buckingham palace, Kelley wrote.
During an interview with Piers Morgan in April, Trump remembered having a "great time" with the queen sitting next to her at a dinner.
"We talked the whole night, and somebody said 'We've never seen her smile so much.'"
"They said they've never seen her have such a good time at a state dinner," he said. "You know normally they're a little boring, OK. This wasn't boring."
Trump's statement is below:
"Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of great sorrow and grief. Queen Elizabeth's historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain. Her leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries around the world. However, she will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women. Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty's generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her! Our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service to the people. May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care."