Trump" rel="tag">Donald Trump hits out at 'nasty' Duchess of Sussex

Donald Trump has expressed his surprise at comments made by the Duchess of Sussex about him when he was elected President in 2016. 

The president said that 'he didn't know she was nasty' as he admitted his surprise at Meghan once referring to him as 'misogynistic' and 'divisive'. 

However, despite the comments, Mr Trump heaped praise on the new mother, saying that she would make a 'very good American Princess' and that he hopes she would 'succeed'.

Speaking ahead of his visit to the UK on Monday, Mr Trump also said he didn't know she wouldn't be meeting with him. 

Officially, Meghan will be missing the state visit because she is on maternity leave with baby Archie, however sources claim her absence is to avoid a potentially awkward clash with the US president.  

Meghan was a vocal supporter of Hilary Clinton and during a 2016 interview, said that 'you don't want to live in the kind of world that he [Trump] is painting'.

Speaking about the Duchess' comments to the Sun, President Trump said: 'I didn't know that. What can I say? I didn't know that she was nasty.'

However, he later added that he was glad to see her as part of the royal family, saying: 'It is nice, and I am sure she will do excellently. She will be very good. I hope she does (succeed).' 

During an interview with Larry Wilmore on the Nightly Show in 2016, Meghan said: 'We film Suits in Toronto and I might just stay in Canada.

'Yes, of course, Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?

'I think it was in 2012 the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points.

'That is a huge number and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it, that is a huge chunk of it.

'You're not just voting for a woman if it's Hillary (Clinton). Yes you're voting because she's a woman, but certainly because Trump has made it easy to see that you don't really want that kind of world that he's painting.'

President Trump also revealed that he was looking forward to meeting the Queen, describing it as a great honour. 

He added that he would be willing to discuss climate change with Prince Charles and defended his decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate change agreement last year. 

Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Harry and even Prince Andrew will spend time with the US President during his three-day visit.

A private lunch on Monday will see the Queen and Prince Harry meet the president, but the Duchess of Sussex will stay at home with baby Archie. 

After this, Mr and Mrs Trump, accompanied by Prince Andrew, will visit Westminster Abbey, where the President will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

They will then be taken on a short tour of the Abbey.

The day will continue with the President and First Lady joining The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House.

In the evening, The Queen will host a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace and both Her Majesty and the President will make speeches.

The following morning, the President and Theresa May will co-host a business breakfast meeting, attended by The Duke of York, at St James's Palace, with senior UK and US business leaders.

Mr Trump is reportedly bringing his grown up children with him when he visits the UK - daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both advisers to the President, along with her siblings Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump. 

The president has also thrown his support behind Boris Johnson, claiming that the favourite for the Tory leadership would do a 'very good job'.

Mr Trump looks set to meet with the former foreign secretary during his state visit to the UK, after previously describing him as a 'friend'.

The meeting between the US President and the former Foreign Secretary is being organised by high-ranking White House officials, according to reports. 

In an interview, he said that Mr Johnson, a hard Brexiteer, would be an 'excellent choice' as leader before adding that he had studied the Tory leadership race 'very hard'.   

The latest comments come after an impromptu press call in Washington yesterday, where Mr Trump paid a glowing tribute to Mr Johnson, describing him as a 'big power'. 

His team are believed to have told British officials that the president wants to schedule in some 'executive time', particularly during his stay at Winfield House in London on Tuesday, which is the US ambassador's residence. 

Any meeting with Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage or other Tory leadership hopefuls is expected to take place then. 

Some British officials are said to be worried at any controversies Mr Trump may cause during his visit, though Downing Street has is believed to be relaxed. 

A Downing Street source told the Times: 'Who the president meets during his visit is a matter for him.' 

Mr Trump also told the Sun: ''I actually have studied it very hard. I know the different players.

'But I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent. I like him. I have always liked him. I don't know that he is going to be chosen, but I think he is a very good guy, a very talented person.

'He has been very positive about me and our country.'

The president also claimed that several Tory leadership candidates have asked for his endorsement, although he said that Michael Gove was not one of them. 

Mr Trump also revealed that he 'likes' foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt.  

Mick Mulaney, acting Chief of Staff at the White House, is thought to have requested the meeting during the planning stage of the state visit. 

Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn yesterday, Mr Trump said he 'may' hold talks with Mr Johnson or Mr Farage during his three-day trip. 

'Nigel Farage is a friend of mine. Boris is a friend of mine,' Mr Trump said. 

'They are two very good guys, very interesting people.

'Nigel has had a big victory, he has picked up 32 per cent of the vote starting from nothing (in EU elections). 

 'I think they are big powers over there, I think they have done a good job.'

Mr Trump will have lunch with the Queen and enjoy a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace on the first day of his visit.

As well as Her Majesty, two future kings and a host of senior royals will be out in force to meet the US President, but he can also expect to see protestors, the 'baby Trump' blimp, and 10,000 police on the streets around the country during his visit, which comes ahead of the 75th anniversary commemoration of D-Day.

A ceremonial welcome in the gardens of Buckingham Palace and a grand white-tie state banquet in the ballroom all await the American leader after he touches down in the UK.

Staff will spend the next three days laying the table for Monday's state banquet - as napkins are folded like dutch bonnets, six glasses are set out per guest and a special cushion is placed on the Prince of Wales' chair.

The  state banquet has taken six months to plan and will see 170 guests sit down in Buckingham Palace's ballroom on Monday evening.

The dress code is tiaras and white tie, or national dress, and the guests, invited due to their ties with the US, will eat from priceless dinner sets.

Their plates will be placed exactly 18 inches apart - precisely measured by staff - and glasses and chairs will all be the same distance away from the table edge.

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