VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s meticulously choreographed seating arrangement for Pope Francis’ funeral revealed subtle political maneuvering, placing President Donald Trump prominently in the front row while other major figures, including Prince William and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, were relegated further back.
In a move that broke with traditional protocol, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was also moved forward to the front row, positioned just eleven seats away from Trump. The Vatican did not deny altering the formal seating plan, with spokesman Matteo Bruni suggesting to The Telegraph that a “vacant place” had been filled at the last moment.
The unusual seating adjustments came amid widespread anticipation that Trump might be placed in the third row, a position that could have been interpreted as a diplomatic slight. Instead, Trump was given a prominent place alongside First Lady Melania Trump, Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Ukraine’s Zelensky, and Argentina’s President Javier Milei. Milei was seated closest to Pope Francis’ simple wooden casket, a symbolic gesture acknowledging the late pope’s Argentine roots.
Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter Laura sat adjacent to Milei, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni positioned directly behind them. Leaders of Albania and Angola also filled out the ranks surrounding the Italian delegation. Meanwhile, Prince William, attending on behalf of King Charles III, stood among world leaders two rows behind Milei, alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Sir Keir Starmer, attending as the head of the United Kingdom’s government rather than as a head of state, was seated further back, accompanied by his wife Victoria. Also positioned in the mid-rows were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other heads of government, reflecting Vatican protocol that prioritizes reigning monarchs and heads of state over prime ministers.
The Vatican’s system for seating dignitaries, established to navigate the sensitive egos of international leaders, operates on a diplomatic hierarchy and arranges seating in French alphabetical order. This explains why, under the French designations, the United States (“les États-Unis”) and Germany (“Allemagne”) appeared earlier in the sequence, securing more prominent positions, while the United Kingdom (“Royaume-Uni”) found itself placed further back.
Despite the rigor of this system, questions remained over Zelensky’s prominent placement, as “Ukraine” remains unchanged in French alphabetical terms. His advancement suggested a deliberate diplomatic exception, particularly given Francis’ controversial past comments urging Ukraine to consider “the courage of the white flag” in negotiations with Russia, a stance rejected by Ukrainian leadership.
There was no special concession for British representatives. Sir Keir Starmer, Lady Victoria Starmer, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy were seated among dignitaries from Qatar and Serbia. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, remarked ahead of the funeral that the Vatican’s planning would be a “masterpiece of stage management,” emphasizing Rome’s long history of handling leaders with inflated self-importance.
Cardinal Nichols, who will participate in the forthcoming conclave to elect Francis’ successor, praised the Vatican’s expertise in balancing diplomatic sensitivities, stating that every world leader attending was likely to return home feeling “reasonably content.”
Among other attendees, former U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden also secured seats, though positioned about five rows behind Trump and Melania. Vatican officials clarified that no distinction was made between Catholic and non-Catholic royalty in seating assignments.
Beyond the carefully curated seating arrangements, diplomatic exchanges also took place. Images captured before the funeral showed Trump and Zelensky in an intense conversation, described as an almost literal tête-à-tête, rekindling dialogue months after a heated dispute during Trump’s White House tenure. Discussions involving Trump, Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister Starmer were reportedly underway, aimed at advancing efforts to broker peace in Ukraine.
Hundreds of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square and throughout the streets of Rome for the open-air Requiem Mass. Following the solemn service, Pope Francis’ coffin was driven across the Italian capital to its final resting place. Known as the “people’s pope” for his advocacy for society’s most vulnerable, Francis died on Monday at the age of 88, only hours after celebrating Easter with the public. His body lay in state for three days in St. Peter’s Basilica, where more than 250,000 mourners paid their respects before his coffin was sealed in a private ceremony.
As the Vatican embarks on nine days of official mourning before beginning the process of selecting a new pope, the funeral of Francis will be remembered as much for its symbolic gestures and subtle diplomacy as for the farewell to one of the most influential religious figures of the modern era.
Source: Dailymail
