Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP
- Trump complained that Prince Charles focused on climate issues during a tea, per Stephanie Grisham's memoir.
- Upon returning from the event, Grisham said that Trump lamented the "terrible" conversation.
- The former president later spoke around the issue of climate change during an interview with Piers Morgan.
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Former President Donald Trump has long had an affinity for the pomp and glamour of the British Royal Family.
However, while visiting the United Kingdom in June 2019 to attend a state dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, the former president was less than enthralled that Prince Charles chose to focus on climate change during a private tea, according to former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham's forthcoming memoir, "I'll Take Your Questions Now," an early copy of which was obtained by Insider.
In the memoir, Grisham recalls that Trump was jovial in his interactions with the Queen, but wrote that the former president "was apparently not as big a fan" of Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the throne.
During the trip, Trump and former first lady Melania Trump met with the leader for a private tea. After returning from the event, the former president "complained that the conversation had been terrible."
"Nothing but climate change," he said while rolling his eyes.
Grisham said that Melania Trump laughed at the former president over his reaction.
"Oh, yes, he was very bored," she said of her husband.
The former press secretary wrote that Melania Trump "had a lovely time" at the event, which was held at Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Shortly after the tea, Trump was interviewed by Piers Morgan on "Good Morning Britain," where he discussed how he spoke with Prince Charles about a range of issues, which included climate change.
"He is really into climate change, and I think that's great," the former president said of the Prince of Wales. "I totally listened to him."
"What he really wants and what he really feels warmly about is the future," Trump added. "He wants to make sure future generations have climate that is good climate, as opposed to a disaster, and I agree."
When Trump was asked by Morgan if he personally believed in climate change, the former president acknowledged that weather patterns have changed, but did not use that specific language.
"I believe there's a change in weather, and I think it changes both ways," he said at the time. "Don't forget, it used to be called global warming, that wasn't working, then it was called climate change, now it's actually called extreme weather, because with extreme weather you can't miss."
Grisham, a former chief of staff and press secretary to Melania Trump, resigned from her post after the January 6 Capitol insurrection.