Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?

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A large array of world leaders, cardinals and hundreds of thousands of worshippers are expected to attend Pope Francisfuneral on Saturday.

It is set to start at 9am UK time in St Peter’s Square after a three-day-period of lying in state where the public can pay tribute to the Pope.

The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.

Pope Francis, 88, died following a stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican announced.

The pope was hospitalised for several weeks in February, after suffering from double pneumonia. He returned to the Vatican in mid-March to recover.

The first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis led the 1.4 billion-member church since 2013.

The first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis led the 1.4 billion-member church since 2013

The first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis led the 1.4 billion-member church since 2013 (REUTERS)

Here’s who we know is coming so far:

Royal Families

  • Prince William, on behalf of the King
  • Belgium King Philippe and Queen Mathilde
  • Spain King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
  • Norway Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit

The King and Queen with Pope Francis on April 9

The King and Queen with Pope Francis on April 9 (PA Wire)

World leaders

  • EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Council President Antonio Costa, Parliament President Roberta Metsola
  • United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
  • Ireland Prime Minister Micheal Martin
  • Switzerland President Karin Keller-Sutter
  • Poland President Andrzej Duda
  • Germany President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz
  • Italy President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
  • Latvia President Edgars Rinkevics
  • Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda
  • Romania Interim President Ilie Bolojan
  • Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
  • French President Emmanuel Macron
  • Finland President Alexander Stubb
  • Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof
  • Croatia President Zoran Milanovic
  • Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides
  • Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky
  • Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala
  • Hungary President Tamas Sulyok
  • Estonia President Alar Karis
  • Moldova President Maia Sandu
  • Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro
  • Argentina President Javier Milei
  • US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump
  • Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and first lady Janja Lula da Silva
  • Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader
  • Ecuador President Daniel Noboa
  • East Timor - President Jose Ramos-Horta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito Freitas
  • New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher
  • Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would not attend the funeral

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