![\"third](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/third-row-1745997226965.jpg\")
Source: Daily Mirror| Philip Coburn. <\/p>\n
Prince William seated beside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26. <\/p>\n
May 2 2025, Published 10:13 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Prince William flew from London to Vatican City for Pope Francis\u2019s funeral <\/a>on April 26. Representing the Crown on behalf of King Charles, he joined other world leaders and dignitaries for the solemn service. Despite his international stature, William was seated several rows behind the main cluster of royals, which piqued the interest of netizens. However, the seating arrangement wasn’t a snub, rather quite the opposite, based on the French alphabetical order.<\/p>\n Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p>\n William was seated in the third row, with the Jordanian royals one row in front of him. As reported by The Mirror,<\/a> the seating plan was a \u2018master plan\u2019 in managing the \u2018big egos\u2019 of world leaders by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales. Moreover, French was also considered the language of diplomacy, while shaking up the order that an English speaker would expect. The seating for the dignitaries was executed as reigning sovereigns, heads of state, and heads of government.<\/p>\n Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In an interview, Cardinal Nichols said that the funeral will be \u201cwithout a doubt another masterpiece of stage management when you consider those state leaders who have high opinions of their importance.\u201d He explained, \u201cI\u2019ve seen it here over and over again that the combination of Rome and the Holy See, they actually are geniuses at dealing with these big events. I think they\u2019ve been doing it since the emperors ruled Rome \u2013 that they know how to deal with big egos.\u201d According to the French alphabetical order, US President Donald Trump appears first in the line-up because America is listed as \u2018Etats-Unis d’Amerique\u2019. William, on the other hand, was seated on the third line as the UK is translated as \u2018Royaume-Uni.\u2019<\/p>\n Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n During the solemn service, the Prince of Wales sat beside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. As per BBC<\/a>, those with the best seats were Javier Milei, president of Francis’ native Argentina, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella. POTUS Donald was near the Pope\u2019s coffin, alongside his wife Melania Trump, across the aisle from French President Emmanuel Macron. As for William’s appearance at the event, he reportedly violated the unofficial dress code when he wore a navy blue suit to the service instead of a black one. However, according to the Irish Star,<\/a> people from the Non-Catholic faiths may not strictly don black attire, <\/a>but it remains accepted as appropriate funeral wear across many cultures. The Prince of Wales, belonging to the Church of England, which separated from the Catholic church in 1534, hence, could be lax with the dress protocol.<\/p>\n Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p>\n