Kensington Palace has announced that the Prince of Wales will attend the official reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Saturday, alongside US president-elect Donald Trump.
The prince, who accepted an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron, will mark the ceremonial event five years after the historic cathedral was severely damaged by fire.
Prince William, 42, will join Mr Trump, other world leaders, and over 1,500 guests for a service led by Laurent Ulrich, the Catholic Archbishop of Paris.
The prince’s attendance, arranged at the request of the UK Government, follows the last-minute confirmation of Mr Trump’s travel plans. The US president-elect made the announcement of his attendance on Monday evening.
This event will be the Prince’s first public appearance with Mr Trump since their last meeting in 2019, when the former president visited the UK for a state visit. During that visit, the prince attended a traditional white-tie state banquet at Buckingham Palace alongside senior royals.
The reopening of Notre-Dame comes after a devastating fire on April 15, 2019, which destroyed much of the cathedral’s roof and attic. The fire caused significant damage to the iconic oak beams and lead roofing. President Trump, who was in office at the time of the fire, has since praised President Macron for overseeing the cathedral’s restoration.
On Monday, Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, stating: “President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre-Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
The service will begin with a ceremonial reopening of the cathedral’s grand doors, accompanied by the playing of the organ. The first Mass will take place on Sunday. The cathedral’s west rose window and organ have been painstakingly restored, with the organ’s 8,000 pipes requiring six months of re-tuning to ensure they could produce sound once again.
Archbishop Ulrich will reopen the doors by tapping them with a crozier crafted from wood salvaged from the cathedral roof, bearing visible black traces from the fire. The cathedral’s choir will then sing in response to the archbishop’s symbolic knocks, repeating the process three times before the doors are opened to guests.
The ceremony will also include the “reawakening” of the cathedral’s organ, which had been damaged by toxic dust from the burning lead roof. This special moment will involve the Archbishop addressing the organ directly with eight incantations, including the command, “Awaken, organ, sacred instrument: Sing the praise of God.”
The restoration of the cathedral has been a monumental effort, with more than €800 million pledged for the reconstruction within 24 hours of the fire, following a global appeal.
The King and Queen of the UK visited Notre-Dame during their state visit to France in September, meeting with firefighters and stonemasons who worked to salvage and repair the iconic structure.
Sunday’s Mass will mark the cathedral’s first official service, with tickets for the first week quickly selling out within 25 minutes. The event serves as a significant milestone in the cathedral’s long-awaited restoration and the celebration of its revival as a symbol of resilience and cultural heritage.
