Melania Trump appears serious at Pope Francis’ funeral alongside Donald Trump, celebrating her 55th birthday with a unique diplomatic visit in Vatican City

By MAANYA SACHDEVA

Melania Trump is grieving the loss of the ‘People’s Pope’ on her 55th birthday as the First Lady of the US found solace in the comforting presence of her husband, Donald Trump, in a rare show of affection.

On Saturday, Melania accompanied her husband, US President Donald Trump, to Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis following the death of the Argentine pontiff on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

The president and his wife of 20 years held hands as they walked towards their seats for the service in St Peter’s Square. 

In keeping with the Vatican’s strict dress code for the funeral, Melania opted to wear 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. 

For the occasion, Melania adorned herself with an elegant black lace veil, matching gloves, and a simple diamond-studded cross pendant, all in adherence to the event’s formal dress code.

The First Lady wore a solemn expression and remained by Mr Trump’s side, with her attendance at the funeral expected to be crucial to keeping the peace between him and his predecessor Joe Biden. 

Alluding to Melania’s role at the funeral, which will also be 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.’ 

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

On Saturday, Melania joined her the US president Donald Trump (left), in Vatican City for Pope Francis ‘ funeral after the Argentine pontiff died on Easter Monday at the age of 88

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’. 

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.’

Mr Trump and Melania touched down in Rome last night after they 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 what will be a rushed trip to Rome before he and Melania fly back to New Jersey after the funeral service is concluded. 

Adhering to the Vatican’s strict dress code for the funeral, Melania opted to wear a black blazer and modest, calf-length pencil skirt

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 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

Today marks another difficult birthday for the US First Lady, who turned 54 last year amid her husband’s hush money trial last May. 

Trump, who was then a presidential candidate, was in New York fighting hush money charges regarding a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump. He denies the charges. He was ultimately convicted 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

He was thinking of his wife that day a year ago, when he stood outside the courthouse in New York City.

‘I want to start by wishing my wife Melania a very happy birthday. Would be nice to be with her but I’m at a courthouse for a rigged trial,’ he said.

‘Everybody knows it. Yesterday was a big day. But I do have to begin by wishing Melania happy birthday. She’s in Florida,’ he added.

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. 

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 

‘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.’

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.