Melania Trump Greets Fifth Graders Wearing Prince of Wales Alexander McQueen

Rosemary Feitelberg

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HAIL TO THE PRINCE: While NATO world leaders hammered out the final discussions of a two-day meeting Wednesday, First Lady Melania Trump reconnected with one of her New York friends — Suzanne Johnson, who now lives in London with her husband Woody, the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Their pre-holiday meet-up wasn’t one-on-one though. Trump and Johnson spent this morning at the U.S. Salvation Army Clapton Center in London making wreaths and holiday decorations with 30 fifth graders from a local school, according to a pool report. (Many New York Jets fans know Johnson’s husband as the co-owner of the National Football League team.)

FLOTUS turned up in a black-and-white Alexander McQueen coat designed by Sarah Burton. Fittingly, the design of the pattern is known as the Prince of Wales. When joining the actual Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, for afternoon tea Tuesday, Trump wore a striking yellow Valentino cape and a custom bougainvillea pink cashmere and silk knit dress from Hervé Pierre and coordinating stilettos from Christian Louboutin. The first lady has sported Alexander McQueen for other key global appearances, such as a G7 Summit reception in August, and to welcome Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and his wife Naraporn.

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During this morning’s goodwill visit with Johnson, Trump posed for photos with local police officers and chatted with students, according to the pool report. One 10-year-old told pool reporter Emily Goodwin she was surprised the first lady had never had mince pie, but FLOTUS indicated she would. “My impression of her was actually very nice. Everyone was expecting her to be very grumpy but she actually was very nice,” the student said, according to the pool report. Trump is the subject of greater attention as of late, due to Kate Bennett’s “Free, Melania: The Unauthorized Biography.”

Meanwhile, President Trump has been fending off reports of Canada’s Prime Minister laughing at his expense during Tuesday night’s reception at Buckingham Palace. Wednesday’s NATO family photo may gain greater scrutiny as a result. After bilateral meetings with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and pull-aside meetings with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Trump was scheduled to depart around noon with his wife. The Commander in Chief canceled a pre-send off press conference as the House of Representatives pushes forward with the impeachment proceedings.

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