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Hillary Clinton said Melania Trump reminded her of a “little child” during an awkward encounter last year at the memorial service for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

In her new book Something lost, something gainedIn an article published on Tuesday, the former Secretary of State wrote that she “never really knew what to make of the third Mrs. Trump.”

The two former first ladies had already met once before. Clinton wrote at the time that she attended the Trumps’ wedding at their Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in 2005 “out of curiosity.”

“I was in Florida anyway and thought it would be entertaining to see what a Donald Trump wedding would be like,” Clinton said. “It was the first time I met Melania, and all I remember is that she was young, very beautiful and very tall.”

Melania “didn’t talk much,” Clinton added. “At least to me.”

Eighteen years later – and eight years after Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump – the two crossed paths again: at the memorial service in Georgia in November for Jimmy Carter’s wife, who died at the age of 96.

“Rosalynn’s grandson Jason said it was her wish that all First Ladies would come together for her memorial service as a sign of unity in these divisive times,” Clinton wrote.

The 76-year-old Democrat said neither her husband, former President Bill Clinton, nor the White House or the Secret Service informed her that Melania planned to attend the ceremony.

Then Clinton spotted the 54-year-old former model standing alone next to Laura Bush, wife of former President George W. Bush, as the First Lady’s entourage filed into the memorial.

“Melania had an expression on her face – very smiling but uncertain – that reminded me of the little kid at the birthday party who doesn’t know anyone and waits at the edge of the circle hoping people will be nice,” Clinton wrote.

The group of first ladies approached Melania along with President Joe Biden, she added. Melania first received an air kiss from first lady Jill Biden before Michelle Obama rushed over to give her “one of her signature big hugs,” the former New York senator recalled.

Clinton noted that Melania was probably worried about how she would be received by the other first ladies after her husband had heaped insults on their own husbands.

“I can imagine how uncomfortable that must have been,” she wrote.

The Independent has asked a spokesperson for Melania Trump for comment.