How did Trump get front-row seat at Pope’s funeral - and why did Starmer and Prince William sit on sidelines?

Royalty and heads of state all took second place to Argentina and Italy – but ‘e’ comes before ‘r’ in alphabet

Kings, queens, princes and presidents were obliged to follow orders for the seating plan at Pope Francis' funeral – playing second fiddle to the Argentines and Italians, and dictated to by the French alphabet.

Some 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government and 12 reigning monarchs joined mourners for the open-air service in front of St Peter's Basilica, watched by millions of people worldwide.

Pride of place at the top of the steps of St Peter’s Basilica went to Argentina, Francis' native country, whose president, Javier Milei, sat in the front row.

The coffin of Pope Francis is carried in front of dignitaries, including US President Donald Trump, centre, and French President Emmanuel Macron (Cecilia Fabiano/PA) (AP)

Next came Italy, the nation surrounding the Vatican, which formally recognised its sovereignty in 1929. Italian dignitaries occupied the second-best seats, as Francis served as bishop of Rome and primate of the Catholic bishops of Italy.

The rest of the seating was dictated by the French alphabet, still regarded as the language of diplomacy. Guests from Allemagne (Germany) were among those near the front, and the États-Unis (United States) delegation ensured President Donald Trump had a prominent seat, rather than being placed in the third row as some had expected. As a result, he did not sit near Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Within those ranks, royalty – such as the kings and queens of Spain and Belgium – took precedence over other heads of state. Prince William was seated alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the third row, unexpectedly next to German chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Britain's Prince William, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Jordan's King Abdullah attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, at the Vatican (REUTERS)

The prince, representing the King for the first time at an international funeral, had been expected to sit with fellow heir apparent Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit. However, this part of the previously announced seating plan did not appear to have been followed. Neither William nor Sir Keir had front-row seats, with Royaume-Uni (United Kingdom) coming late in the French alphabet.

It was the first time the prince has represented the King at an international funeral.

Prince William briefly spoke to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the basilica before the service, and also exchanged words with French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Jordan’s King Abdullah and Queen Rania were seated in the second row, ahead of Prince William.

President Trump drew attention for breaking the dress code by wearing blue instead of black to the Vatican service.

No distinction was made between Catholic and non-Catholic royalty in the seating arrangements. Former US president Joe Biden, a lifelong Catholic, was not part of the official US delegation and sat further back than the États-Unis dignitaries.