In a historic moment, dozens of global leaders gathered in Vatican City to bid farewell to Pope Francis. Among them was U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, as they attended the solemn funeral of the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. The ceremony took place at St. Peter’s Square, where 170 international delegations were present, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.
© FILIPPO MONTEFORTEThe service began promptly at 10 AM local time with a solemn mass, following Pope Francis’ simple wooden casket transfer from St. Peter’s Basilica to a specially prepared area in St. Peter’s Square.For the occasion, Donald Trump was seen wearing a navy blue suit with a matching tie, while Melania Trump wore a strict black ensemble by Vatican protocol.
© MANDEL NGANThe First Lady chose a coat dress with button details and paired it with a lace black mantilla and matching gloves. Notably, the funeral of
In the front rows, the Trumps were surrounded by other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron to their left, and Estonian President Alar Karis to their right. Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were also present.
© ISABELLA BONOTTOThe presidential couple arrived in Rome from Washington, D.C., on Friday, April 25. Air Force One touched down at Fiumicino International Airport at approximately 5:40 PM local time. President Trump announced their arrival via his X account. Upon disembarking, the Trumps greeted the awaiting officials.
Pope Francis’ funeral attracted numerous world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Argentine President Javier Milei, Prince William representing the British royal family, Belgium’s Queen Mathilde, and among others.
Melania Trump’s 55th Birthday: A solemn celebration
While many would expect birthday celebrations, Melania Trump traded birthday cakes and “Happy Birthday” songs for her official duties as First Lady. The former model accompanied President Trump to Pope Francis’ funeral, and due to the somber nature of the occasion, any birthday festivities were put on hold.
© MANDEL NGAN“She has a working birthday,” President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, which marked the first overseas trip of his administration.“I haven’t had time to buy gifts; I’ve been pretty busy,” added the 78-year-old president, reflecting on his first 100 days in office. When asked about plans to celebrate Melania’s birthday, he hinted that once the funeral concludes, they would return to the U.S. “I’ll take her out for dinner on the Boeing, I’ll take her out for dinner on Air Force One,” he said.
