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For a US president who has likened himself to a king and redecorated nan Oval Office pinch aureate overgarment and golden ornaments, it feels for illustration nan cleanable meal venue.
Donald Trump said 1 of nan deciding factors successful accepting an invitation to dine pinch Emmanuel Macron astatine nan spectacular, 2,300-room Palace of Versailles was that it was “not golden leaf” but nan “real deal”.
The palace, group successful grounds of much than 800 hectares (almost 2,000 acres) to nan westbound of Paris, is some a historical spot of royal powerfulness and a awesome of nan French Revolution.
One of nan top achievements successful 17th-century art, it was designed to beryllium an architectural embodiment of nan Sun King, Louis XIV, and was location to his great-great-great-grandson Louis XVI erstwhile the Women’s March connected Versailles heralded nan opening of nan extremity of nan French monarchy successful 1789.
Of each modern French presidents, Macron has made astir usage of nan palace arsenic a awesome of French luxury, powerfulness and diplomacy. In 2017, he hosted Vladimir Putin there, driving nan Russian leader astir nan grounds successful an electrical play cart and holding a associated property arena successful a assemblage of historical warfare paintings. In 2023, he hosted King Charles successful nan famed Hall of Mirrors and he regularly uses nan palace arsenic a showcase for finance summits.
Trump will circuit cardinal rooms successful nan palace earlier sitting down to meal successful nan Lower Gallery, which opens connected to a terrace pinch views of nan gardens. The array will beryllium group amid an array of statues commissioned by nan Sun King himself.
It’s uncommon for a US president to beryllium hosted astatine Versailles arsenic nan main impermanent of honour pinch nary different overseas leaders present. Notable past recipients of nan honour see John F Kennedy, who was hosted for a authorities meal successful 1961.
The immense property has agelong held a fascination for American millionaires, pinch the Vanderbilts’ Marble House successful Newport, Rhode Island, among galore buildings inspired by its architecture.
French pomp and pageantry person besides been an inspiration to Trump. When he was invited to the Bastille Day subject parade successful Paris successful 2017, he expressed an liking successful a akin show of spot backmost home.
“Beautiful building,” Trump erstwhile said of nan Élysée Palace – nan 365-room statesmanlike location successful Paris that is doubly nan size of nan White House.
Time will show whether meal astatine Versailles gives him immoderate caller ideas for expansive creation and décor projects backmost home.
