Princess Catherine and U.S. First Lady Melania Trump shared a quiet moment during a stroll through Frogmore Gardens, where they spoke about their shared dedication to education.
The walk took place as President Donald Trump wrapped up his second state visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday. While the president met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the First Lady joined the Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle.
Catherine chose a dark green jacket with brown culottes, while Melania wore a beige belted coat for the occasion.
Meeting Scouts and Children
During their garden visit, the two women met Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and young members of the Scouts’ Squirrels program, who were working toward their “Go Wild” badge. They also joined a group of 4- to 6-year-olds in creating leaf prints with ink.
As they watched the children, Catherine remarked, “It gives me great comfort knowing all of these children are encapsulated in the educational spaces. It can become quite overbearing, so that you can tend to the individual rather than ‘I need to do this or that.’”
Turning slightly away from the cameras, she appeared to speak candidly before Melania replied with her own view on the American system: “I know. It’s the same in America, we can’t let it get too big, we owe this to our children.”
Both women have long emphasized childhood education as central to their public roles.
Tense Moment with Queen Camilla
Their meeting followed an awkward exchange the previous day, when Queen Camilla seemed to interrupt a conversation between Catherine and Melania.
Footage from Windsor Castle showed Camilla speaking with the First Lady while King Charles and Prince William engaged with President Trump nearby. Catherine then joined the women and began a deeper conversation with Melania as Camilla looked on.
After a short while, the Queen appeared to motion Catherine away with a small wave of her hand. Catherine complied, sharing a few final words with Melania before returning to her husband’s side.
The clip sparked discussion online, with some suggesting Camilla’s gesture came from feeling sidelined. One observer posted, “Did anyone else see Camilla’s expression when Princess Kate approached her and Melania?”