Former First Lady, Melania Trump, is facing criticism online after referring to her husband, Donald Trump, as "President" in her tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Buckingham Palace first announced the news of Prince Philip's death in an official statement made on Friday morning (April 9th), which reads:
"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
Since his passing, political figures across the globe have been paying tribute to the late Prince Consort, who died aged 99. One such figure was Melania Trump.
Taking to Twitter on April 9th, she wrote: "President Trump and I extend our deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen, the Royal Family, and the people of Great Britain as the world mourns the loss of Prince Philip."
However, she faced immediate criticism for referring to the 45th President of the United States as "President", following his departure from the White House earlier this year. He was succeeded by Democrat, Joe Biden, whose Vice President is Kamala Harris.
"You forgot the word 'former'?" one Twitter user criticised, and another added: "He’s not “The President” anymore Meli."
"You mean former president, twice impeached," added a third.
Other Twitter users pointed out that it is customary to refer to all former Presidents as "President" even when their term is over. "They retain the title for the rest of their life even if not currently president," stated one social media user.
Trump also paid his respects to the Royal Family in light of the Duke of Edinburgh's passing. In a statement, per Newsweek, he described the prince as "a man who embodied the noble soul and proud spirit of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth."
"Prince Philip defined British dignity and grace," he continued. "He personified the quiet reserve, stern fortitude, and unbending integrity of the United Kingdom."
Trump last visited the Royal Family in 2019.
This comes after it was announced that the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral will be held this upcoming Saturday (April 17th) at St George's Chapel. It will be confined entirely to Windsor Castle after an eight-minute ceremonial procession within the castle grounds, per Buckingham Palace.
The Queen, his children and his grandchildren will be in attendance. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex has confirmed that he will travel from California for the funeral, although his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who is pregnant, has been advised against travel by her doctor.
The funeral has been reduced in scale due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. While there will be no public access, the service and short procession will be televised. The royal family have asked that the public do not visit Windsor to pay their respects.
(Feature Image Credit: Alamy)
