Prince William and Keir Starmer join mourners at Pope's funeral

Prince William and Keir Starmer join mourners at Pope's funeral

The funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square was a somber event attended by world leaders, including the Prince of Wales and Sir Keir Starmer. Representing King Charles III, Prince William stood alongside the prime minister for a moment of silence in front of the Pope’s coffin. Dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, the prince bowed his head solemnly before proceeding to the funeral mass at St Peter’s Basilica.

Prior to the service, Sir Keir had the opportunity to speak with US President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, and French President Emmanuel Macron. Zelensky and Trump held a 15-minute one-to-one meeting before the funeral, following talks between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The two presidents were seen engaged in discussion while seated on red chairs against the backdrop of the basilica, later joined by Sir Keir and Macron.

In total, 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government, and 12 reigning monarchs gathered to pay their respects at the open-air service in front of the basilica. Among them was former US President Joe Biden. Prince William had the opportunity to exchange words with Trump, Melania Trump, Macron, and Brigitte Macron before the service. This was the first time the prince represented the King at an international funeral, following in the footsteps of King Charles attending Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005.

Accompanied by his wife, Victoria, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Sir Keir attended the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday. The Vatican reported an estimated 250,000 attendees at the funeral service in St Peter’s Square and the surrounding area, marking a significant turnout of mourners from around the world

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