Melania Trump arrived at St Peter’s Square on Saturday morning to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. The US First Lady accompanied her husband Donald Trump to the historic event, held just days after the pontiff died on Easter Sunday. The president and his wife were allowed inside St Peter’s Basilica to visit the Pope’s coffins ahead of the funeral.
Melania, who has been rarely seen over the past three months since Mr Trump returned to the White House, donned a sombre outfit. The Trumps, sat behind Vatican royalty and monarchs and princes, in what has been dubbed a third-tier seating area in recent media reports. The pair touched down in Rome last night at around 10pm, with Donald Trump telling reporters that the late pontiff was a “fantastic kind of guy” who “loved the world” before they boarded the Air Force One.
The funeral is set to begin at 9am BST as world leaders arrive before the ceremony. The Vatican said 130 delegations are confirmed, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.
Pope Francis’ funeral has defied years of tradition by requesting to lie in a simpler coffin. Historically, the pontiff would rest in three nested coffins, made of cypress, lead, and oak. Francis also chose a burial site outside the Vatican – the first pope to do so in 120 years. His final resting place will be the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of four major basilicas in Rome.
Today, April 26, is also Melania’s birthday. The president claimed he has been too “busy” to buy birthday gifts for his wife. Speaking to reporters on Friday: “I’ll take her to dinner on the Boeing, I’ll take her for dinner on Air Force One.”
He added: “I haven’t had much time to buy presents. I’ve been pretty busy. But it’s working out. People are starting to understand how good tariffs are … for us.”
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