Trump, Biden, Macron, Prince William and Zelenski, among the leaders present at the Vatican. How they were seated and who stayed next to whom
Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, Donald Trump and Melania Trump, during the funeral service of Pope Francis. Photo: Francesco Foia / Avalon / Profimedia
Many international leaders participated on Saturday in the funerals of Pope Francis, organized in Saint Peter Square in the Vatican. Among the participants were US President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Prince William.
Their presence takes place at a tense moment for global diplomacy, Donald Trump having a brief meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, before the ceremony begins.
BBC analyzed how world leaders were placed.
Trump and Zelenski, 10 places away from each other
Trump was first and foremost, along with his wife, Melania Trump, a short distance from Macron and his wife Brigitte.
The US president and his wife were placed between two firm supporters of Ukraine – Estonia President Alar Karis, was on the left of Melania, and President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, to the right of Trump.
Estonia and Finland are reliable allies of another man of the moment present in the room – Zelenski. He stayed on the same row as Macron, separated from a few other dignitaries.
Zelenski, who was blocked in negotiations and public disputes with Trump in recent weeks, was only 10 places and a corridor away from the same row.
Photo: SGP / DDP USA / Profimedia
Shortly before the beginning of the funerals, Trump and Zelenski were photographed discussing, placed on two chairs, face to face.
The White House described the 15 -minute meeting as “very productive”, while Zelenski said it was “symbolic” and had “the potential to become historical.”
Plan to occupy the places
The VIPs were in a section separate from the hundreds of thousands of public members who came to Rome for the event. The dignitaries were placed on the right side of the market, near Saint Peter's Basil.
The best placed were Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, Francis's native country, Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, and Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy.
Behind them were royal families, and other delegations were placed in alphabetical order in French, the official language of diplomacy, on other banks.
Representing the British royalty, the Prince of Wales stayed with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Keir Starmer, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, was placed in the fifth turn with his wife Victoria.
Behind the British leader was the general director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Former US President Joe Biden, along with his wife Jill, were four lines behind Trump.
Many European leaders, as well as members of the royal family in European countries, have been present.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was present at the ceremony and was seen discussing with Macron.
Other political and royal personalities present at the pope's funeral were:
- President of Poland, Andrzej Duda
- The interim president of Romania, Ilie Bolojan
- The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinada
- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
- Croatia President Zoran Milanovic
- Ecuador President Daniel Noboa
- Ireland Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin
- Moldova President Maia Sandu
- Latvia President Edgars Rinkevics
- New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
- Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia
- UN Secretary General Antonio Getterres
- Queen Mary of Denmark
- King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania
- Hungary President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban
- President of the European Council, Antonio Costa
- The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola
