The body of Pope Francis lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican, on April 23, 2025. Tiziana Fabi, AFP

PARIS, France -- Many world leaders have announced they will travel to Rome for Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday, which is expected to draw a huge crowd in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

Here is a list of the expected VIP guests.

READ: Tens of thousands say goodbye to Pope Francis lying in state

- Americas -

ARGENTINA: President Javier Milei.

The pope, who was born in Argentina in 1936, had a delicate relationship with politics in his homeland, but Milei hailed his "wisdom".

BRAZIL: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Janja.

Lula has said Francis "vigorously criticised the economic models that have brought so much injustice to humanity".

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

UNITED STATES: President Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

Trump said in a social media post: "We look forward to being there!"

- Europe -

AUSTRIA: Chancellor Christian Stocker.

BELGIUM: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever,

BULGARIA: Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov.

CROATIA: President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Croatia declared Saturday a day of national mourning.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

ESTONIA: President Alar Karis.

EUROPEAN UNION: EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

FINLAND: President Alexander Stubb.

FRANCE: President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron, who cut short a visit to the Indian Ocean region after the pope's death, told reporters: "We will attend the pope's funeral as we should."

GERMANY: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend.

GREECE: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

HUNGARY: President Tamas Sulyok.

IRELAND: President Michael Higgins and his wife Sabina, plus Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin.

KOSOVO: President Vjosa Osmani.

LATVIA: President Edgars Rinkevics.

LITHUANIA: President Gitanas Nauseda.

MOLDOVA: President Maia Sandu.

MONACO: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.

Monaco's royal family has announced three days of mourning for the pope.

THE NETHERLANDS: Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima -- who also has Argentine nationality -- will not make the trip due to the king's birthday celebrations despite being "deeply moved" by Francis's passing, the royal family said.

NORTH MACEDONIA: President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.

NORWAY: Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

POLAND: President Andrzej Duda and his wife.

PORTUGAL: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.

ROMANIA: Interim President Ilie Bolojan.

SLOVAKIA: President Peter Pellegrini.

SLOVENIA: President Natasa Pirc Musar, Prime Minister Robert Golob.

SPAIN: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

Felipe called the pontiff "an enormous ethical beacon of our world, of our time".

UKRAINE: President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska.

Zelensky said Francis had "prayed for peace in Ukraine".

UNITED KINGDOM: Prince William representing head of state King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

SWEDEN: King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

- Middle East -

ISRAEL: Yaron Sideman, Ambassador to the Holy See.

- Africa -

CAPE VERDE: President Jose Maria Neves.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

- Asia -

PHILIPPINES: President Ferdinand Marcos and first lady Liza Marcos.

© Agence France-Presse

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