The Prince of Wales and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stood among global dignitaries at the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square. Prince William, representing his father King Charles III, and Starmer observed a moment of silence before the Pope’s coffin ahead of the solemn funeral mass.
Dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, Prince William bowed his head in reverence before proceeding into St. Peter’s Basilica, where he was escorted to his seat. This marks the first time the future monarch has attended an international funeral on behalf of the King, who, as the head of the Church of England, traditionally delegates such duties. The move follows precedent Prince William’s father, then Prince of Wales, attended Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005 on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
Prime Minister Starmer was accompanied by his wife, Victoria, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The gathering brought together 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government, and 12 reigning monarchs, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kensington Palace confirmed that Prince William exchanged brief words with Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, as well as with Macron and his wife Brigitte, as he entered the service. Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions simmered on the sidelines, with officials confirming a meeting between Zelensky and Trump ahead of the funeral. This comes just a day after US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as negotiations over the Ukraine war continue.
Pope Francis, who passed away at 88 on Easter Monday, was honored in an open-air service attended by an estimated 250,000 mourners filling St. Peter’s Square and surrounding areas. The historic event blended religious solemnity with high-stakes diplomacy, as world leaders converged in a rare moment of unity.
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