Donald Trump, Prince William Outfits at Pope Francis' Funeral Raise Eyebrows
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At Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday, the attire of President Donald Trump and Prince William drew significant attention and led to discussions about adherence to Vatican protocol.
What To Know
Trump arrived at the solemn ceremony in St. Peter's Square wearing a blue suit paired with a light blue tie and his signature American flag lapel pin.
Prince William, representing King Charles III, who was absent due to health reasons, opted for a classic dark suit and tie, aligning more closely with The Vatican's expectations for such occasions.
His attire was noted for its appropriateness and respect for the solemnity of the event, however, it also drew criticism as his suit was dark blue and not black.
Former President Joe Biden also deviated from the norm, opting to wear a blue tie.
All three ensembles diverged from the Vatican's traditional dress code, which prescribes a formal black suit, black tie, and a black lapel pin for male attendees at papal funerals.
Newsweek reached out to the Vatican, Trump's office, and Kensington Palace for comment via email on Saturday outside of working hours.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Associated Press
Why It Matters
Il Messaggero, a prominent Italian national newspaper based in Rome, reported that the attire and order for Pope Francis' funeral, according to Vatican protocols, should be as follows:
"For men, dark suit with a long black tie and a button of the same color on the left lapel of the jacket, where only Vatican honors can be placed. For women, a black dress, preferably long, of the same color as gloves and veil on the head, with the only allowed ornament being a string of pearls.
"These are the prescriptions for those attending the Pope's funeral, according to well-established protocol manuals that also define the seating arrangement for dignitaries and heads of state."
In contrast, First Lady Melania Trump adhered to the expected norms, donning a long-sleeved black dress and a traditional black mantilla veil.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wore his signature all-black minus a tie to the ceremony.
The controversy over attire comes just two months after Zelensky was criticized and called disrespectful by a reporter at the White House for not wearing a suit during his visit to the Oval Office, with reports suggesting that Trump was annoyed by Zelensky's choice of clothing.
What People Are Saying
Trump critic Ron Filipkowski commented on a Newsweek article on X, formerly Twitter to his 976k followers saying: "One guy shows up in a blue suit to the Pope's funeral. You will never guess who," alluding to the U.S. president. However, several X users commented below, pointing out that Prince William was also wearing blue.
Political analyst Molly Ploofkins said on X: "According to the dress code required by Vatican officials for Pope Francis' funeral, men were required to wear a dark suit, along with a long black tie. Trump shows up in blue."
Political strategist Joey Mannarino commented on X to his 613k followers: "Trump at the Pope's funeral is just exuding complete and total class. Absolutely the image America should be projecting to the world."
On Zelensky's attire, he said: "Zelenskyy couldn't even wear a suit for Pope Francis's funeral. And the woke idiots in attendance clapped for him anyway. The lack of respect is unbelievable."
Further adding to the discourse, Trump's seating at the funeral broke from established Vatican protocols. Traditionally, Catholic royals are seated in the front rows, followed by non-Catholic royals and then heads of state in alphabetical order. However, Trump was granted a front-row seat alongside Zelenskyy, a notable deviation from the norm.
What's Next
These sartorial and protocol deviations by Trump stood in contrast to the adherence displayed by other dignitaries and may become a focal point of media coverage surrounding Pope Francis' funeral.
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