The US President Elect has a history of being flexible with the truth, and his vital statistics are seemingly no exception. 

Donald Trump, 78, has always claimed to be a towering 6ft 3″ in height…but his meeting with Prince William at the re-opening of Notre Dame in Paris this weekend suggested a little shrinkage may have taken place.  

The incoming US leader and the Prince William appeared to have a cordial exchange as they shook hands inside the Parisian cathedral. 

Later the pair posed for photos at the residence of the British ambassador in the French capital, with Trump calling the Prince of Wales a ‘good man’. 

On both occasions, William, 42, cut a statuesque figure – the royal is 6ft 3″ or 191cm – and Trump didn’t quite match him in the height stakes. 

Rumours have swirled that the soon-to-be President, who served his first term in 2017, has relied on ‘lifters’, insoles that offer additional height, or bigger heels to give his stature a boost. 

Indeed, during his most recent campaign, in which he toppled Kamala Harris, Trump was regularly seen standing alongside Elon Musk, after the Tesla, Space X and X entrepreneur announced his support for the Republican candidate. 

South African Musk is apparently 6ft 2″, or 188cm, and yet in the photos of his appearances with Trump across America, he appeared to be significantly taller than the man he was supporting. 

The President elect looked significantly shorter than the Prince of Wales at the British Embassy in Paris on Saturday – despite both men claiming to be 6ft 3″ in height

Earlier, the President-elect had greeted Prince William during the ceremony to mark the reopening of Notre-Dame at Paris Cathedral – again, William appeared significantly taller than Trump

Trump with French president Emmanuel Macron, who stands at 5ft 7″ tall, at the Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday. Right: The French leader with Prince William, who appeared significantly taller

And another Trump fan, music star Kid Rock, whose height is recorded at 6ft or 183cm, appeared to stand shoulder to shoulder with the President elect when the hat-wearing singer joined the President elect at the podium. 

Back in July, when Trump was subjected to an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, he seemed pre-occupied with his footwear in the immediate aftermath as blood poured from his ear. 

‘Let me get my shoes,’ Trump, 78, could be heard repeatedly saying as the agents propped him up moments after he was almost killed by the AR-15-style rifle bullet.

Later a video circulated on X that appeared to show why the President-to-be was so worried about his shoes – with some claiming a lifter insole had fallen out of his shoe in the fracas.

Trump – who is, it’s claimed, one of the tallest presidents in history – has also been dwarfed by his son Barron in recent years. 

The 18-year-old Trump heir is 6ft 9″ and said to be nicknamed ‘Little Donald’ by his mother.

Shoulder-to-shoulder: Emmanuel Macron welcomes US president-elect Donald Trump before a meeting at he Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris

One of Trump’s biggest fans, Telsa and Space X magnate Elon Musk, is 6ft 2″ but has looked taller than the Republican politician in recent photos

Kid Rock, one of Trump’s most famous supporters is 6ft tall, but appeared to stand at roughly the same height as his presidential pal on the campaign trail (Pictured in New York in December 2023) 

Little Donald: The Trumps’ son, Barron, now towers over his parents – the 18-year-old is 6ft 9″. Pictured in West Palm Beach on November 4th

Meanwhile in Paris yesterday, it appears Trump was firmly on the charm offensive.  

Exchanging a warm handshake with William as he entered the foyer of the British embassy, Trump turned to reporters and said: ‘Wow, what a nice group.’

In what was US President elect’s first meeting with a member of the Royal Family since his landslide election victory last month, he praised the Prince, quipping: ‘Good man, this one.’ 

The Prince of Wales asked Trump if he had warmed up to which the politician replied that he had, noting that the lavish event marking the re-opening of the 861-year-old cathedral ‘was a beautiful ceremony’.

Prince William expected to meet with Trump for half an hour prior to the glamorous ceremony at the Notre Dame last night to discuss the US and UK’s ‘special relationship’. 

But travel disruption caused by Storm Darragh, which has battered parts of the UK, meant the royal had to reschedule his meeting both with the once and future President as well as the current US First Lady Jill Biden.

Instead of their originally planned private chat, the First Lady and William were going to have talk on the sidelines of the ceremony, Kensington Palace previously said. 

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump meets Britain’s Prince William at the UK Ambassador’s Residence in Paris

The Prince of Wales and US President-elect Donal Trump were all smiles when they met at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris yesterday

Exchanging another warm handshake with William as he entered the foyer, the US President-elect turned to reporters and said ‘wow, what a nice group’

In what was Trump’s first meeting with a member of the Royal Family since his landslide election victory last month, he praised the Prince, quipping: ‘Good man, this one.’

The Prince of Wales and US President-elect Donald Trump standing side by side at the foyer of the residence of the British ambassador in Paris

Guests stand as the doors to Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral open during a ceremony to mark the re-opening

After speaking in the foyer of building on Saturday, Trump and Prince William walked upstairs to begin their discussions.

Mr Trump and William sat on light-yellow sofas in the Salon Jaune room, which had gold-coloured patterned wallpaper, a Christmas tree in the corner and a chandelier overhead.

Before the meeting began, William said: ‘We can warm our toes up after the cathedral’ to which Trump smiled and responded: ‘Right, you’re right’.

The meeting between the US President-elect and the Prince of Wales concluded at around 10.20pm local time last night, after over half an hour of talks. 

Inside the 861-year-old cathedral – before what was its first opening since being devastated by an inferno in 2019 – the Prince of Wales shared a warm and firm handshake with Trump prior to their private meeting. 

Greeting the prince in the cathedral, Mr Trump couldn’t resist his famous ‘clasp and yank’ handshake, moving in with an outstretched hand and grasping the royal shoulder in what body language experts called a display of power and domination. 

Still, William didn’t seem too concerned by Mr Trump’s display of machismo when they met at the ceremonial reopening, sharing a cordial exchange of words before the Prince was released from Mr Trump’s grip.