Royals gather in Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame

Royals from across Europe have gathered in Paris for the re-opening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral.

The Prince of Wales joined Prince Albert of Monaco, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco for the historic event.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US First Lady Jill Biden and her daughter, Ashley, US President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also were among the attendees.

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron greeted guests outside Notre Dame in the rain before the ceremony began inside.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and Prince William greet other guests. Screenshot/Fair Use

The re-opening ceremony began with Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich ceremonially opening the doors to the historic cathedral that tragically burned in 2019.

The French President also spoke during the event saying: “Tonight, I stand before you … to express the gratitude of the French nation – gratitude to all those who saved, helped, and rebuilt Notre-Dame.

“Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame will ring again.”

There was also a standing ovation for the French firefighters who battled the blaze that almost destroyed the 14th-century building.

Kensington Palace later shared photos from the ceremony on X saying: “It is an immense achievement to renovate such a beautiful and culturally important building. Thank you and well done to everyone who has been a part of this project.”

The UNESCO World Heritage site was severely damaged during the fire in April 2019, and it has taken five years to repair the cathedral.