Reason Trump is expected to be in 'third-tier' seat at Pope Francis' funeral as people express shock at 'awkward' position

Heads of State have been heading to Rome to attend Pope Francis' funeral.

The 88-year-old pope passed on Monday (April 21), having suffered from double pneumonia in recent months.

Many world leaders are expected to land in Italy today ahead of the celebration of Pope Francis' life, with the likes of Irish President Michael D Higgins having already arrived and visited the late pope's body at St Peter's Basilica.

As of Friday morning, around 130,000 mourners had visited Pope Francis, including a Brazilian priest who caused controversy for taking a selfie next to the pontiff's body.

Higgins will join his nation’s premier Micheál Martin, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Prince of Wales - who is attending on behalf of the King - US President Donald Trump, and a vast array of other leaders and dignitaries.

It's believed the pope's outdoor funeral service will last around 90 minutes before his body is taken to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

It's predicted that the likes of Trump will be seated in the third row during the pope's funeral, something which has surprised some.

But people won't be seated in order of importance, says Euro News. Instead, they will be sat in alphabetical order - French alphabetical order, to be more precise.

With America being 'États-Unis' in French, Trump will sit with other countries that begin with E in the French alphabet, Ethiopia (Ethiopie), for example.

The same rule applies for other prominent figures attending the funeral, but a Vatican spokesperson has confirmed Francis’ birth country of Argentina, then Italy will take precedence.

Thereafter, reigning sovereigns will be seated in French alphabetical order, followed by heads of state.

President Trump seen speaking to the press before leaving the US for Rome earlier today (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has predicted the funeral will be a 'masterpiece' in stage-managing 'big egos'.

Cardinal Nichols, who will take part in his first conclave to elect a new pope in the coming weeks, said the funeral organisers are well-used to dealing with the sensitivities of such big events.

In an interview with the PA news agency in Rome, he said: "In the past, I’ve 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’ve been doing it since the emperors ruled Rome - that they know how to deal with big egos.

"And I think every leader of a nation that comes here on Saturday will go home reasonably content."