World leaders and royals gather in Paris for reopening of Notre Dame

World leaders have gathered in Paris at the reopening ceremony for the Notre Dame cathedral. But one moment has people talking.

Prince William and US President-elect Donald Trump have greeted each other in person at the reopening of the Notre Dame ceremony in Paris.

Mr Trump gave the British heir to the throne a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and had a brief conversation.

The pair will meet again later in another location in Paris, according to Kensington Palace.

But it was Mr Trump’s bizarre encounter with French President Emmanuel Macron that’s got people talking,

US President-elect Donald Trump and Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales shake hands inside Notre-Dame Cathedral ahead of a ceremony to mark the reopening of the landmark cathedral, in central Paris, on December 7, 2024. Picture: AFP

During a tense photo-op handshake, the President-elect raised Mr Macron’s hand while in the embrace to ensure his hand was on top in a dominating position during the exchange.

Mr Trump and Mr Macron met in front of the Elysee Palace, where the pair smiled for photos between a pair of guards as the President-elect gripped the French leader’s hand.

The move, reminiscent of a white-knuckle, prolonged grip the pair had during Mr Trump’s first term in office, forced Mr Macron to lean into Mr Trump, before the President-elect let go and headed inside the building.

“President Trump just made Macron his b — h with one handshake,” one critic assessed on X.

Mr Trump told reporters he and Mr Macron would be discussing a world that’s gone “a little crazy” during their talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the pair afterwards in the trilateral sit-down.

French President Emmanuel Macron meets with President-Elect Donald Trump at the Elysee Palace on December 7, 2024 in Paris, France. Picture: Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images.

Prior to the ceremony, Mr Trump praised the French leader, proclaiming that he had 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 trio met inside the Elysee Palace, with photos showing Mr Trump expressionless as Mr Macron placed his hand on the arm of a seated Mr Zelensky. The French president appeared to give Mr Zelensky a reassuring look.

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) flanked by US president-elect Donald Trump, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Picture: AFP.

Outside Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral on December 07, 2024 in Paris, France. Picture: Getty Images.

The trio posed for a picture but made no further public comment before starting the talks.

Mr Zelensky later said he had had a “good and productive” meeting with Mr Trump and Mr Macron on Saturday.

“I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President Donald Trump and President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace,” Mr Zelensky said on social media.

“We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way.”

The trilateral meeting is the first face-to-face meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump since the latter’s presidential election win in November.

Mr Trump had vowed to bring an end to the nearly three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by forcing a peace agreement, claiming on the campaign trail that he could end the conflict in one day owing to Kyiv’s reliance on US weaponry.

Mr Macron scored a major coup by attracting Mr Trump, on his first foreign trip since his re-election, for the ceremony along with some 40 other leaders, including British heir to the throne, Prince William.

It is “a cathedral like we have never seen before,” Philippe Jost, the head of the restoration project, told Franceinfo radio, saying he was proud to “show the whole world” a “great collective success and a source of pride for all of France”.

In one last-minute hitch, harsh weather forced officials to move Mr Macron’s planned speech indoors and prerecord a concert planned for after the ceremony, with forecasts for winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour.

The service will feature prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral’s choir, followed by the televised concert - prerecorded Friday night due to the weather - with performances by Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang, South African opera singer Pretty Yende and an orchestra conducted by Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel.

US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams is also believed to have taken part.

-With AFP