Prince William’s seating position at Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City on Saturday raised eyebrows, as the 42-year-old royal was placed several rows back from major global leaders, including US President Donald Trump and European royals. While dignitaries such as Trump and Queen Mary of Denmark sat near the altar during the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, Prince William was seen standing for a moment of silence behind a row of Jordanian royals.
Despite what seemed like an unusual seating choice, the arrangement was actually part of a well-calculated diplomatic strategy. According to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, leader of Catholics in England and Wales, the seating plan was carefully designed to manage the “big egos” of world leaders, ensuring that no one felt slighted.
The seating was arranged alphabetically in French, the traditional language of diplomacy, which mixed up expectations based on English-language alphabetical order. This meant that while the US was positioned relatively early in the line-up, with “Etats-Unis d’Amérique” coming before other countries, the United Kingdom was placed toward the end due to its translation as “Royaume-Uni.”
Cardinal Nichols praised the Vatican’s “masterpiece of stage management,” emphasizing the Holy See’s long history of handling high-profile events and big personalities with finesse. “They’ve been doing it since the emperors ruled Rome,” he noted, pointing out the Vatican’s expertise in managing such significant occasions.
Prince William, attending the funeral on behalf of his father, King Charles, was representing the head of the Church of England in honoring Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. This is in line with modern tradition, as Charles, in his role as Prince of Wales, had previously attended Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005 on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
While William’s seating placement sparked some curiosity, the event’s carefully crafted arrangements ensured that every leader felt respected.
