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Forbes
Forbes
7 Dec 2024


President-elect Donald Trump, billionaire Bernard Arnault and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gathered in Paris on Saturday for the reopening ceremony for the Notre Dame cathedral, which closed for years after it was damaged during a fire in 2019.

Reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

The cathedral was damaged after a fire in 2019.

Getty Images for Notre-Dame de Paris

Trump—appearing on his first trip overseas since being re-elected—met with Emmanuel Macron before the ceremony, with Trump saying of his relationship with the French president: “We had a great relationship, as everyone knows,” CNN reported.

Trump and Macron appeared briefly with Zelensky, who said he had a “good and productive” meeting with the two leaders, noting Trump was “as always, resolute.”

Ahead of the ceremony, the president-elect was also scheduled to meet with Prince William, who will also meet with First Lady Jill Biden, according to the BBC.

The Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, started the reopening ceremony at around 1 p.m. EST by knocking on the cathedral’s wooden doors three times, preceding a speech by Macron and a service shortly after.

France Notre Dame Reopening

The South Rose window inside Notre Dame Cathedral.

Associated Press
France US Trump

Trump appears with Macron at the Elysee Palace.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
France US Trump

Zelensky appears with Macron and Trump in the Elysee Palace.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
France Notre Dame

The Notre Dame cathedral is seen in Pars.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
France Notre Dame Reopening

Firefighters stand inside Notre Dame before it formally reopens its doors for the first time.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

The interior of Notre Dame.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

Salma Hayek with her billionaire husband Francois Pinault.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

Bernard Arnault and other Arnault family members.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium, appear with the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Maria ... [+] Teresa and Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

Trump shakes hands with Prince William inside the cathedral.

Associated Press
France Notre Dame Reopening

Notre Dame's ceiling.

Associated Press

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French officials estimate more than 1,500 people will be in attendance for the ceremony on Saturday. Trump, Macron, Jill Biden and the Prince of Wales are among the ceremony’s VIP guests, local outlets reported. Other world leaders attending the event include former Secretary of State John Kerry, Italian President Giorgia Meloni, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Albert II, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, among others. Arnault, LVMH’s chief executive and the world’s fifth-richest person with a fortune valued at $170.3 billion, was also spotted alongside family members. Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person and a Trump ally, was also reportedly in attendance.

$1 billion. That’s how much was donated to help French officials restore Notre Dame, according to the Associated Press, with the help of France’s richest families. Arnault donated about $200 million, while Francois Pinault, who attended the ceremony with his wife Selma Hayek, pledged $113 million. The Bettencourt family, which controls L’Oreal, matched Arnault’s donation. The total cost of the restoration was about $738.5 million.

On April 15, 2019, the Notre Dame cathedral became engulfed in flames, though the cause of the blaze is still unknown. About 600 firefighters fought the fire for 15 hours, and most of the 850-year-old structure was saved, including its two bell towers. Macron called for the church to be restored within five years, resulting in an outpouring of donations. Shortly after the fire, Trump said it was “so horrible” to watch the fire at Notre Dame and called for “flying water tankers” to help put it out.