People surprised after learning

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City on April 26, alongside other world leaders such as Prince William, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The funeral will take place at the papal basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, following Pope Francis’s death on April 21 at the age of 88. The 90-minute service is expected to include Holy Communion and a detailed seating arrangement, with foreign dignitaries positioned on one side of the pope’s coffin, opposite high-ranking clergy.

Despite his prominence, Trump is not expected to sit in a front-row seat. Based on past Vatican protocol, such as during Pope John Paul II’s 2005 funeral, Trump will likely be placed in the third row, with leaders seated in alphabetical order by their country’s French names. This has sparked online reactions, with some suggesting the arrangement could hurt Trump’s ego, especially given his past criticism of Joe Biden’s seat placement at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Trump is attending with his wife Melania, and speculation has emerged over whether he might defy the expected seating plan.