First Lady Melania Trump turned 55 the same day as Pope Francis' funeral. The first lady and her husband President Donald Trump attended the service, held in St. Peter's Square, on Saturday, April 26.
Melania, who is said to be the first Catholic first lady since Jacqueline Kennedy, was dressed in black for the somber occasion, wearing a double-breasted coat and lace veil, along with a cross necklace. The first couple was seated in the same row as Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia and Denmark's Queen Mary. The day before the funeral, multiple sources told PEOPLE that Melania was "honored" to be attending the pope's funeral and that she "admired" the late pontiff.
Another source shared with the magazine that the first lady had "no issue" in attending the funeral on her birthday, adding, "She will make the most of her birthday in the time frame after the event."
On the flight over to Rome on Friday, the president told reporters on Air Force One that his wife has "a working birthday" this year. Asked if he planned on taking the first lady to dinner, President Trump said, "I'll take her for dinner on the Boeing. I'll take her for dinner on Air Force One."
The first couple left the White House on Friday morning to travel to Rome for the funeral, which was also attended by former President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Queen Rania and King Abdullah II of Jordan, the Prince of Wales and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
During President Trump's first term, he and Melania met with the late pope. Following the visit in 2017, the first lady wrote on X, "Today's visit with His Holiness Pope Francis @Pontifex is one I'll never forget. I was humbled by the honor. Blessings to all."
Pope Francis died of a stroke, coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse on April 21.The first lady mourned the death of the pope, writing on X (formerly Twitter), "On this Easter Monday, we remember His Holiness, Pope Francis. I join millions of people around the world in mourning his loss."
"I will always cherish my trip to the Holy See in 2017," she added. "May he rest in peace."