Donald Trump could face disappointment when the seating plan for the funeral of Pope Francis is released.

Vatican protocol suggests that he will not be in the front row of dignitaries when he arrives at St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday morning, the Telegraph reports.

While he is used to being the most important person at every event he attends – Trump may have to settle for the third row.

The Vatican has not released official details yet, but clues can be gleaned from the last funeral of a sitting pope – that of the Polish pontiff John Paul II in 2005, the Telegraph reported.

It said foreign dignitaries will be seated in a large block to one side of Francis’s coffin, while archbishops, bishops, patriarchs and cardinals – the red-robed “princes of the Church” – will be seated opposite them.

Catholic royalty will be seated in the front row of seating. Next will come non-Catholic royals such as the Prince of Wales, who is attending the funeral on behalf of King Charles.

Then come world leaders, heads of state and other foreign dignitaries, including Trump, as well as Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president; Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister; and Javier Milei, the president of Argentina – Pope Francis’s home country.

For the funeral, the world leaders will be seated in alphabetical order according to the name of their country in French – as it was the traditional language of diplomacy when the protocols were made.

It may leave Trump without the view of proceedings he would have hoped for. It also could leave him red-faced after he mocked his predecessor, Joe Biden, for where he was seated, during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral

Due to preference being given to those representing Commonwealth countries, Biden was seated in the 14th row.

Trump posted on social media: “This is what’s happened to America in just two short years. No respect. However, a good time for our president to get to know the leaders of certain Third World countries.

“If I were president, they wouldn’t have sat me back there – and our Country would be much different than it is right now.

“In real estate, like in politics and in life, location is everything.”

Trump says he would’ve gotten a better seat than Biden at the Queen’s funeral. pic.twitter.com/2n1hY3AfdM

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 19, 2022

Pope Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, a day before his death, when he stepped out to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing loud cheers and applause.

The pontiff passed one day after he briefly met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert.

Previously, in a letter to US bishops, Pope Francis took issue with comments made by JD Vance, who argued that Christians should prioritize the needs of their families, communities, and country over those of others.

Pope Francis and Trump disagreed on many high-profile matters, including his plans to build a wall and implement mass deportations.

The late Pope even publicly questioned Trump’s Christian faith during his 2016 presidential campaign, telling reporters that Trump was “not Christian.” The two leaders met in person at the Vatican in 2017, during Trump’s presidential visit. Although Trump described the meeting as “fantastic,” a photograph from the encounter suggested a more tense atmosphere, with Pope Francis appearing visibly unenthused.