Who is there and where are they sitting?

2 days ago 2

Getty Images US President Donald Trump (C) and First Lady Melania Trump stand alongside French President Emanuel Macron (left)

Numerous world leaders and royals have gathered in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral.

Among the most prominent figures at the Vatican's St Peter's Square on Saturday morning are Prince William, US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden, Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Their attendance comes at a fragile time for international diplomacy, with Trump meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky before the service, according to Zelensky's spokesman.

Here are some pictures of the VIP attendees.

Trump is in a front-row seat near Francis' coffin, alongside his wife Melania Trump, across the aisle from Macron and his wife Brigitte.

Intriguingly, he and First Lady Melania are sitting between two staunch supporters of Ukraine. Estonia's President Alar Karis is to Melania's left, and Finland's Alexander Stubb to Trump's right.

Getty Images US President Donald Trump alongside his wife Melania.

Estonia and Finland are both staunch allies of another man of the moment in attendance - Zelensky, who has looked sombre-faced at the Vatican. He is sat on the same row as Macron, separated by a few other dignitaries.

Zelensky, who has been locked in negotiations and public arguments with Trump in recent weeks, is just 10 seats and one aisle away from him, on the same row.

EPA Zelensky (left) seen on the same front row as the Macrons (centre) and Trump (right)

Reuters President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

The VIPs are sat in a separate section from the hundreds of thousands of members of the public who have descended on Rome for the event.

Dignitaries are sat on the the right-hand side of the square, next to St Peter's Basilica.

Those with the best seats are Javier Milei, president of Argentina, where Francis was from, and Italy's prime minister and president, representing the country that surrounds the Vatican City state.

Behind them are reigning sovereigns, and other delegations are sat in alphabetical order in French, the official language of diplomacy, on other benches.