Brigitte Macron deviated from the dress code for Pope Francis’s funeral after she decided not to wear a head covering for the ceremony.
The French First Lady, 72, joined her husband, French president Emmanuel Macron, and world leaders, clergymen, and reigning monarchs in St Peter’s Square as the Argentine pontiff was laid to rest on Saturday.
While men attending the funeral were asked to wear a dark suit with a long black tie and white shirt, women were given the option of either wearing a modest black dress that reaches below the knee or a formal suit.
As per the dress code for a papal funeral, women must also wear a black headscarf, head covering, or veil – as seen on Melania Trump, Spain’s Queen Letizia, former US First Lady Jill Biden, as well as Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.
Brigitte, however, opted not to cover her head, with France’s First Lady styling her blonde hair in an almost impossibly voluminous bouffant that skimmed her shoulders.
Similarly, the wife of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Olena Zelenska, as well as Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni – who wore a black pantsuit – also decided against wearing black veils for the service held in St Peter’s this morning.
Barring the rule about head coverings, the trio adhered to the dress guidance issued by the Vatican to ensure attendees were properly presented for the funeral of the pontiff, who died on Easter Monday after having a stroke.
For the sombre occasion, Brigitte opted to wear a a double-breasted blazer and a long, pleated skirt that hit below her calves, both black, as well as a matching turtleneck.
Brigitte Macron’s attire for Pope Francis’s funeral earlier today was criticised after the French First Lady deviated from the Vatican’s dress code for the ceremony
Brigitte, 72, opted not to cover her head, with France’s First Lady styling her blonde hair in an almost impossibly voluminous bouffant that skimmed her shoulders. She is pictured here with her husband, France’s president Emmanuel Macron
For the sombre occasion, Brigitte opted to wear a a double-breasted blazer and a long, pleated skirt that hit below her calves, both black, as well as a matching turtleneck
She added a pair of tights as well a closed-toe pumps, as mandated by the dress regulations, and kept her accessories to a minimum.
Brigitte held on to her husband’s arm as France’s president and first Lady joined the ranks of dignitaries and heads of state filing into St Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to the ‘People’s Pope’.
She was later seen comforting Macron, who became emotional during the nearly three-hour long service to honour the Pope’s 12-year legacy as head of the Catholic Church.
Seated alongside the Macrons, in the first row, were US president Donald Trump and First Lady Melania, whose 55th birthday coincided with the high-profile event that saw Vatican City transformed into a fortress.
Unlike Brigitte, Melania’s outfit was praised for meeting the stipulations of the dress code – as the former supermodel covered her head with a black mantilla veil and also wore a pair of matching gloves.
Several members of the European royal delegation – from Queen Letizia and Queen Mathilde, to Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit – also wore appropriate head coverings as they represented their countries at the funeral.
And while UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s wife Victoria didn’t wear a veil, she picked a black circular hat with netting in line with the Vatican’s guidelines.
While she may not have had much say over her husband’s funeral attire – Trump’s blue suit and tie was considered by many as a sign of disrespect – Melania helped the president sidestep what might have become an embarrassing diplomatic faux pas.
Brigitte held on to her husband’s arm as France’s president and first Lady joined the ranks of dignitaries and heads of state filing into St Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to the ‘People’s Pope’
Brigitte and Macron bow their heads before the Pope’s wooden coffin
Seated alongside the Macrons, in the first row, were US president Donald Trump and First Lady Melania, whose 55th birthday coincided with the high-profile event that saw Vatican City transformed into a fortress
Standing next to Brigitte and Macron was Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema
At one point during the three-hour Catholic mass, the congregation were invited to ‘offer each other a sign of peace’ by shaking hands with one another.
A clip from the funeral service showed Trump watching the proceedings around him without participating in the ‘Sign of Peace’ ritual before Melania came to his rescue, it has been revealed.
Forensic lip reader Nicola Hickling told The Daily Mail that Melania instructed her husband to start shaking hands before Trump grudgingly offers his hand to the French president Emmanuel Macron.
‘You should do it,’ Melania whispered in Trump’s ear before repeating herself.
‘Oh, alright,’ the American president replied.
He then stuck out his hand to greet Estonia’s president Alar Karis and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, before turning his attention to Macron.
The pair shared a prolonged handshake as Trump, who has been accused of breaking the event’s strict dress code, very narrowly avoided what would have been a terrible blunder.
The president, who sat in the front row of hundreds of foreign dignitaries and royalty, donned a mid-blue outfit, adorned with a pin showing the American flag. He paired it with a shiny blue tie.
Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni – who picked a black pantsuit for the sombre occasion – also decided against wearing black veils for the service
Traditionally, smart, dark outfits are worn out of a sign of respect – a practice adopted by many of the gathered mourners, inluding Sir Keir Starmer.
Trump’s outfit was widely criticised online as one X user slammed the president in an X post that read: ‘Why is Trump the only male world leader who is wearing a blue suit?
‘Has he no sense of appropriacy? Shame on him.’
Another noted: ‘How disrespectful Trump is wearing a blue suit to a funeral.’
And a third fumed: ‘Did he not have a black suit? At least a dark blue one? Where is the respect?’
Prince William, 42, also drew criticism for wearing a dark navy suit to the funeral, although he met the funeral regulations with a black tie.
