Donald Trump‘s closest confidante and First Buddy Elon Musk was there in the US delegation at Parris that witnessed the historic reopening of Notre Dame. The Tesla CEO posted a breathtaking video of the inside of the cathedral after they entered following its reopening. Musk was not a surprise guest as he was scheduled to land at 3.20 pm (1420 GMT) at Le Bourget airport today on his private jet.
The cathedral was opened by symbolically knocking on the doors five years after it was ravaged by a devastating fire in 2019.
Wearing new designer vestments and carrying a staff cut from one of the roof beams that survived the inferno, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony.
US President-elect Donald Trump sat on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lightening installed as part of the cathedral’s overhaul.
It was the first international event for Trump even before he officially took power. Another 40 heads of state and government were also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne, Prince William.
Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia’s invasion expected to have been discussed.
Prince William will hold meetings with Trump and outgoing first lady Jill Biden. “While in Paris, His Royal Highness will also hold meetings with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, and US President Elect, Donald Trump,” the Palace said in a press release. The last time William met Trump was in 2019, when the then-US president was on a state visit to the UK.
The prince’s last official trip to Paris was in 2017, when he visited with his wife, Princess Catherine, for a two-day trip in the aftermath of the Brexit result.
