Melania Trump spent her 55th birthday attending the funeral of Pope Francis, with her husband, former President Donald Trump, by her side.
On Saturday morning, the couple arrived at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City for the funeral service. Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, was honored by leaders from around the world. Donald and Melania, married for 20 years, were seen holding hands as they walked to their seats, a rare public show of affection.
Following the Vatican’s traditional dress code, Melania wore a black blazer, a modest skirt, simple black pumps, and an elegant black lace veil with gloves. She also wore a diamond cross pendant to complete her respectful outfit.
Throughout the funeral, Melania stayed close to her husband, keeping a serious and respectful look. Her appearance was seen as important, especially at an event attended by other world leaders like President Joe Biden and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Before leaving Washington, Trump spoke to reporters, mentioning that Melania would have a “working birthday” but added, “She’s going to have a great birthday.”
At the funeral, Biden sat two rows behind Trump. When asked if he planned to meet Biden, Trump said, “It’s not high on my list.”
The Trumps arrived in Rome Friday night. As they left the White House, they shared a rare warm moment, with Trump wrapping his arm around Melania’s waist. He mentioned he planned to celebrate Melania’s birthday with a quiet dinner aboard Air Force One, joking that he hadn’t had much time to buy her a gift.
During the funeral, Donald and Melania stood in the front row among hundreds of dignitaries and royals, with Trump given a place of honor.
This birthday marks another difficult one for Melania. Last year, she turned 54 while Trump was dealing with a court case in New York. At that time, he had publicly wished her a happy birthday outside the courthouse.
This year’s birthday is special as it is Melania’s first one back in the White House after Trump’s re-election victory over Kamala Harris.
Melania has spoken warmly about her past meeting with Pope Francis. In 2017, she described her visit as an unforgettable experience. During that meeting, Pope Francis blessed her rosary beads, and her team later confirmed that Melania is Catholic.
Donald Trump was the first world leader to confirm his attendance at Pope Francis’ funeral, which brought together more than 300,000 mourners.
