Melania Trump epitomised class and decorum as she attended the Pope’s funeral on her 55th birthday today.
The First Lady of the US walked through the Vatican hand in hand with her husband Donald Trump as she joined millions mourning the death of Francis.
In one poignant picture, Melania can be seen deep in thought as the sun beams down on her during the service in St Peter’s Square.
In keeping with the Vatican’s strict dress code for the funeral, Melania wore a black blazer and modest, calf-length pencil skirt.
Guidance from the Catholic Church states women must wear black, closed-toe shoes and Melania chose a pair of simple pumps for the occasion.
She added an elegant black lace veil as well as matching gloves, and wore a simple diamond-studded cross pendant.
The First Lady looked serious and stayed close to Mr. Trump during the event, assisting him in almost making a mistake.
During the three-hour Catholic mass, attendees were asked to shake hands as a gesture of peace.
Melania looked deep in thought as the sun beamed down on her in The Vatican at the Pope’s funeral
The First Lady and her husband Donald held hands as they marked the sombre occasion on her birthday
The couple were among millions to mourn the loss of Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Easter Monday
A video from the service captured Trump observing the ceremony without joining the handshake tradition until Melania stepped in to guide him, according to reports.
Forensic lip reader Nicola Hickling told MailOnline that Melania instructed her husband to start shaking hands before Trump grudgingly offers his hand to the French president Emmanuel Macron.
‘You should do it,’ Melania whispered in Trump’s ear before repeating herself.
‘Oh, alright,’ the American president replied.
He then stuck out his hand to greet Estonia’s president Alar Karis and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, before turning his attention to Macron.
Her attendance at the funeral was also expected to be crucial to keeping the peace between Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.
Alluding to Melania’s role at the funeral, which was also attended by Ukrainian president Volodymy Zelensky, he told reporters in Washington: ‘She’s going to have a great birthday. She’s got a working birthday.’
Mr Biden, 82, was seated two rows behind Mr Trump, who told reporters outside Air Force One that meeting the former president in Rome was ‘not high on my list’.
At one point during the service, Melania had to step in and help her husband through an awkward moment at Pope Francis ‘ funeral today after the US president nearly committed a diplomatic faux pas
He also revealed he hadn’t known that Mr Biden and wife Jill Biden would be at the basilica for the funeral.
‘Oh he is? I didn’t know,’ he told reporters on Air Force One.
When asked if he would meet with the former president, Trump replied: ‘It’s not high on my list. It’s really not.’
After the service was concluded, Melania and Trump left St Peter’s Square and departed for the airport as they headed back to the United States following a rushed trip to Rome.
The couple arrived in Vatican City late last night after Melania and Trump shared a rare, tender moment on the eve of the First Lady’s birthday.
In an unexpected public display of affection, the president tenderly wrapped his arm around Melania’s waist as they departed the White House on Friday – before Mr Trump shared the couple’s plans for a low-key birthday dinner ‘on Air Force One’.
‘I’ll take her for dinner on the Boeing. I’ll take her for dinner on Air Force One,’ he said, referring to the presidential aircraft.
Mr Trump also admitted he hadn’t had ‘much time to buy presents’ for his wife, ahead of the Pope’s funeral that was attended by heads of state, members of the Church, and reigning monarchs as the Argentine pontiff was laid to rest.
Melania Trump is mourning the ‘People’s Pope’ on her 55th birthday as the First Lady of the US was comforted by her husband Donald Trump in a rare display of affecton
Melania dressed in all-black for the sombre occasion on Saturday, while Mr Trump wore blue
She added an elegant black lace veil as well as matching gloves, and wore a simple diamond-studded cross pendant, in keeping with the strict dress code for the event
The US president and first lady waved from their car as they drove away from the Vatican
After the service was concluded, Melania and Trump left St Peter’s Square and headed for the airport as they headed back to the United States following a rushed trip to Rome
Trump and Melania board Air Force One at Fiumicino Airport after the funeral
Among the attendees was the US’ former first lady Jill, 73, who also wore a black blazer and skirt for the sombre occasion, as she helped her husband down the steps of the basilica.
She added a pair of black sheer tights and pumps as outlined in the dress guidance, and carried a simple black clutch to the event.
Jill also opted for a delicate lace veil to cover her head.
Also in attendance was Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, who was seated next to Mr Zelensky.
Like her American counterpart, Ms Zelenska also opted to wear a formal black blazer, with a long skirt and dark tights as permitted by the Vatican’s dress regulations.
The wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron picked a black turtleneck that she tucked into a long, pleated skirt, paired with a cropped jacket.
The French first lady added a thin belt and a simple bag to her look, as she arrived at the funeral holding her husband’s arm.
Like Melania, the US’ former first lady Jill, 73, also wore a black blazer and skirt for the sombre occasion, as she helped her husband down the steps of the basilica
She added a pair of black sheer tights and pumps as outlined in the dress guidance, and carried a simple black clutch to the event
Also in attendance was Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, who was seated next to Mr Zelensky and India’s president Droupadi Murmu
The wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron picked a black turtleneck that she tucked into a long, pleated skirt, paired with a cropped jacket
The French first lady added a thin belt and a simple bag to her look, as she arrived at the funeral holding her husband’s arm
This year marks Melania’s first birthday back in the White House since Mr Trump was re-elected after securing a stunning victory over rival Kamala Harris.
Melania previously described meeting the late pontiff as an experience she would ‘never forget’ in a post on X (then Twitter) in 2017.
Her statement came after Melania and Mr Trump flew to the Vatican for their first trip abroad as the United States’ president and First Lady nearly eight years ago.
‘Today’s visit with His Holiness Pope Francis @Pontifex is one I’ll never forget,’ she wrote. ‘I was humbled by the honour. Blessings to all.’
Melania previously described meeting the late pontiff as an experience she would ‘never forget’ in a post on X (then Twitter) in 2017
Adhering to the Vatican’s strict dress code for the funeral, Melania opted to wear a black blazer and modest, calf-length pencil skirt
Donald and Melania Trump clap as the coffin of Pope Francis leaves St Peter’s Square
Trump and Melania paying their respects to the Pope
Melania shot a sweet smile towards her husband during the service in St Peter’s Square
Today marks another difficult birthday for the US First Lady, who turned 54 last year amid her husband’s hush money trial last May
The President along with US First Lady Melania Trump, Estonia’s president Alar Karis, and Spain’s King Felipe
A photograph from their meeting showed Pope Francis blessing the rosary beads carried by Melania, whose representative confirmed that she was, in fact, Catholic.
Mr Trump was the first world leader to confirm his presence at the funeral, which is expected to draw over 300,000 mourners, after the Pope’s died on Easter Monday after suffering a stroke.
‘Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!’ he wrote on Truth Social on April 21.
The US President was pride of place at the Pope’s funeral on Saturday as he and his wife Melania stood in the front row of hundreds of foreign dignitaries and royalty.
The President was seated between Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Estonia’s President Alar Karis.
Also in the front row was French President Emmanuel Macron and members of Europe’s royal families.
The seating plan was based on a complex order of precedence, with Argentina – the country of the Pope’s birth – and Italy at the front.
Other sovereigns, heads of state, and heads of government were then seated in alphabetical order of their countries’ names in the French language – used because French is considered the language of diplomacy.
