Trump’s Remarks to Princess Catherine Spark Outrage as UK Protests Target His Epstein Ties
By Rob McConnell | TWATNews.com | September 17, 2025
President Donald Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom was intended to be a show of diplomacy and royal pageantry. Instead, it has been overshadowed by controversy, sparked first by his remarks to Princess Catherine and intensified by mass protests condemning both his behavior and his long-standing ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
A Question of Decorum
During formal ceremonies at Windsor Castle, Trump referred to Princess Catherine as “so radiant, so healthy and so beautiful.” Earlier in the day, while greeting her alongside Prince William, he was overheard telling her: “You’re beautiful, so beautiful.”
Critics argue the remarks were inappropriate for such a setting. State visits are steeped in protocol, and observers noted that comments focusing solely on appearance risk reducing a royal consort to aesthetics rather than acknowledging her public role and recent health struggles.
The incident has led many in Britain to describe the President as “a dirty old man,” pointing to his long history of making similar comments about women in public life.
Streets Filled with Protest
Beyond royal circles, Trump’s presence has ignited widespread demonstrations. In London, thousands gathered in Parliament Square, holding banners and chanting against his policies, personal behavior, and past associations. Additional protests were staged in Manchester, Glasgow, and other major cities.
Activist groups projected images of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein onto the walls of Windsor Castle, including excerpts from a controversial birthday letter allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein. Police arrested four individuals in connection with the projection, citing “malicious communications.”
Organizers such as Led By Donkeys staged large-scale visual protests, displaying a massive banner of Trump and Epstein together near the castle grounds. Demonstrators said the goal was to remind the public of the ongoing fallout from Epstein’s crimes and to highlight the willingness of governments to overlook moral accountability in favor of ceremony.
Trump and Epstein: A Political Liability
Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein stretch back decades, when both men moved in similar social circles. Trump has alternately downplayed or dismissed the relationship, but photographs, letters, and eyewitness accounts continue to surface.
Protesters and commentators argue that these connections cannot be brushed aside. In their view, hosting Trump with royal pomp and ceremony sends the wrong signal—especially in light of Epstein’s crimes and the victims still seeking justice.
America Tolerates, the World Does Not
While Trump often escapes consequences for his crude mannerisms in the United States, where partisan politics and loyal supporters shield him from accountability, the rest of the world does not extend such tolerance. In Britain, his behavior has been openly criticized not only by the press but by crowds in the streets. Many Europeans see his actions as a breach of international standards of diplomacy, dignity, and respect.
A Visit Overshadowed
What should have been a carefully scripted display of alliance between Britain and the United States has instead been consumed by debate. Was Trump’s language toward Princess Catherine simply clumsy flattery, or evidence of deeper disrespect? Do his past associations disqualify him from the honor of a state visit?
For many Britons, the answers are clear. Trump’s words and history, they argue, are not befitting of a leader welcomed with regal ceremony. As the protests showed, thousands of voices are unwilling to let those questions pass quietly.