A decline in Santa’s salary, rising cost of turkeys and fewer presents under the tree: Is this the bleakest Christmas on record?

Published

1 year ago

December 24, 2023

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Santa Claus is coming to town – well, some of them are.

Because this year Santa could found in the job centre rather than a grotto, with 15% fewer jobs for the guy in red being advertised.

And in further bad news, Santa’s salary is also rising less than average, according to job website Indeed.com. So while the average wage has gone up 7%, the most famous inhabitant of the North Pole has seen his rise by just 4%.

And he is not alone in feeling the squeeze – it doesn’t matter whether you are on the naughty or nice list – this year is costing more for everyone.

Sky News investigates the state of the great British Christmas as the cost of living crisis hits harder than ever.

A stand-in Santa

Competition is fierce for Santa roles, says Jack Kennedy – a senior economist at Indeed.com, with searches for this festive work reaching a six-year high.

“Lots of candidates are chasing fewer seasonal jobs this year,” he adds, attributing it to “cost of living pressures and caution among retail employers”.

Santa Rob – who for the rest of the year runs an animal rescue centre as Robert Baxter alongside his partner Donna Rose – found himself forced to don the big red coat and beard after he was unable to afford to pay a performer for his grotto.

“It’s my genuine calling in life,” he jokes. They have tried to keep costs low to enable lower-income families to visit.

Their business, Get To Know Animals, in Epping, houses 400 animals, many of which are exotic and require multiple heat lamps and specialist food. “The energy costs are absolutely extortionate,” says Donna.

“We struggled to get through the day and then we had the additional cost of building the grotto, but it just means so much to us that people who can’t afford it could come and meet Santa as well.”

Donna grows teary as she talks about the future of the company, which has suffered from a drop in donations and a decline in footfall: “We are not sure if we are going to make the new year.”

Turkeys are growing – and so is the cost

For Jonathan Smith, Christmas preparations start in the summer.

The second-generation farmer welcomes the 4,000-strong flock of day-old chicks to Great Garnett’s farm in Essex at the beginning of June and starts fattening them up for Christmas.

Five years ago, they would have produced around 8,000 turkeys in December, but a decline in foreign labour due to Brexit and the expensive costs of visas has forced the farm to dramatically reduce numbers.

Jonathan is chair of the National Farmers’ Union’s turkey group and says fattening them up is a lengthy process, fraught with the worry of a bird-flu outbreak at any moment – and the cost of living crisis has increased tensions.

Because the cost of producing a 5.5kg (21lb) turkey (which is the weight they sell the most of and would feed about eight to ten people) has gone up by 21% in the last year.

Jonathan’s food bill, across the farm, used to average between £12,000 and 15,000 a month. It now stands at £30,000 due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine disrupting grain supplies around Europe.

His energy contract, which six years ago was £3,000, in December 2022 reached £20,000 – something he expects to see again this year. And even though these higher prices may be being passed on to shoppers it isn’t dampening their demand for the festive bird.

“Turkeys are just a lot more expensive than they were,” he says. “But we aren’t seeing that reflected in sales – people just accept it and want it for their Christmas lunch.

“They want a special turkey and a special turkey is what we produce.”

The cost of Christmas

However, the resilience of the turkey trade is not reflected elsewhere. Brits are predicted to buy fewer and cheaper Christmas presents this year.

One forecast by World Remit, the international money transfer firm, suggests that Brits will spend 10% less on Christmas this year. But even with everyone cutting back, WorldRemit says it is expected to cost 23% of the average monthly income.

It is particularly bad for households with children, with one in three struggling to afford a family festive celebration, according to debt charity StepChange.

Dad-of-nine Derrick, 34, says he has delayed paying some bills in a bid to make a magical Christmas for his family, and he and his wife have stopped heating their four-bedroom flat.

“I know it’ll be a problem in January, but I am trying not to think about it,” the stay-at-home dad says. With children ranging from 18 to one still unborn, providing for them is no small task.

“Things have always been tight, but it’s definitely getting worse.”

Derrick is supported by DadsHouse, a charity that supports dads in London – although it was founded to help single dads, they welcome anyone in.

In their West London centre, six days before Christmas, a small team of dedicated volunteers are gathered together cooking lunch. Turkey is served alongside lentil soup and salad, while one young boy is given a plate of pasta. Tinsel and fairy lights adorn the ceiling and racks are filled with cans of soup – a foodbank for those who need it.

Billy McGranaghan founded the charity after raising his son alone but the pandemic and subsequent economic downturn has seen demand soar. What started as a way to help dads bond has expanded into a vibrant community hub, with a foodbank, home-cooked meals, homework clubs and guitar lessons.

DadsHouse also runs a Family Law Clinic, and Ceri Parker-Carruthers, the lawyer who manages it, says they are seeing increased family breakdowns inflicted by the economic crisis.

Billy receives up to 20 phone calls a day from people reaching out for help from him and his small team of dedicated volunteers.

Yet, despite the growing desperation of those around him, anyone who walks through their door is greeted with a cheery shout of ‘hello’ from the 60-year-old Scotsman. He is warm and friendly, remembering everyone’s names as he moves around the room, offering them coffee, tea, more turkey, more gravy, a hamper to take home.

Billy grows emotional as he talks about those the charity has helped this year.

“The increase we have seen is unbelievable,” he says. “But when they are here, we want to give them a chance to forget about the outside world for a bit.”

Patsy, 68, doesn’t fit the label of ‘single dad’, but she is welcomed to the Christmas meal and sent away with a hamper of goods, the same as anyone else.

And like everyone else, she’s feeling the squeeze this year. “I’ve had to ask my family to chip in for Christmas dinner, it’s too expensive now,” she says.

Sky News data team analysis

Inflation fell to another two-year low of 3.9% in November, but that hasn’t halted historic price rises, including on many Christmas favourites.

Our Christmas list costs £7.50 more than this time last year – a rise of almost 5%, which is faster than the overall level of inflation in the same timeframe (3.9%).

Securing pigs in blankets for your festive feast will come at a higher price this year, with sausages and bacon both up 14%.

While the shopping basket data from the ONS doesn’t have a whole turkey, the centerpiece of many Christmas dinners, it does have prices for pre-cooked turkey slices.

A 100-180g pack increased by just 5p (2%), from £2.26 to £2.31.

What about the trimmings? A kilo of potatoes is 7% more expensive than they were in November 2022. Carrots are 15% more expensive and cauliflower is 4% more.

As for a Christmas tipple, a bottle of cream liqueur is 5% more expensive and a bottle of champagne is up 6%.

Gift buying is also pricier. When you’re stumped about what to buy, socks make for a reliable gift choice but a pair of men’s has increased by 5%, and a lady’s scarf, also great for keeping warm, is now 8% more expensive.

For families with young children, the price of a sit-and-ride toy for under-5s has increased by just 2%, and if you want to combine some festive joy with some Christmas holiday learning, an electronic educational toy has increased by 1%.

A Christmas lifeline – or a road to more debt?

The continued popularity of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) schemes risks tipping millions of people into debt this Christmas. More than a quarter of Brits will use them to help with Christmas shopping. In some instances, it is almost as common as going into an overdraft – according to Citizen’s Advice.

The charity, who surveyed 2,132 people, has said it is braced to provide debt support in the new year, with some 28% of consumers (equivalent to 15.1 million people) planning to use the unregulated form of credit this December. This rises to 56% of parents with primary-school-aged children.

Citizens Advice, MoneySavingExpert and Which? recently teamed up to urge the Government to protect BNPL users after its commitment to regulating the industry in 2021 appeared to have stalled.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said many users do not realise they are taking on debt.

This is because BNPL lending does not require any affordability checks, unlike other credit options.

The charity found 21% of BNPL users have missed or made a late BNPL payment in the last 12 months, with one in 10 of this group visited by an enforcement agent or bailiff as a result.

‘There will be fewer presents – but more love’

Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelters is in its 15th year of providing winter shelter and food for those who are homeless in Waltham Forest and has seen the number of people seeking its help soaring in the last year.

Jessica* spent much of her 20s without a home but, after reaching “breaking point”, found herself at the shelter and is now a volunteer.

“I never could have known that in a year, my life would have done a complete 180,” she says. “I have gone from living somewhere to becoming homeless, to now being part of a community where I can give back.”

This small local shelter has 28 active cases, compared to 10 this time last year.

“I think this is potentially one of the worst Christmases we’ve had,” says David Hoskins, the group’s charity director.

“We simply don’t have enough beds for all of those people who are rough sleeping.”

And this is being echoed across the UK, as research from the charity Crisis revealed nearly a quarter of a million households are spending night after night couch surfing or in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

Beth from Newport found herself in a vicious cycle with housing costs after her rent began creeping up.

The single mum of two is studying at university in a bid to create a better life for her children after fleeing an abusive relationship.

“I want to be a good tenant, but being a good mum comes first, and it’s been years since paying the rent in full and on time – without having to think about it – was normal,” she said.

She now lives in fear of her energy being shut off, and it means for her children, aged 12 and 14, there is little chance of expensive gifts under the Christmas tree.

“My children have been understanding and told me they don’t need anything,” she says. “The guilt attached to wanting to and not being able to is the worst feeling of all.”

She said she takes comfort in knowing it’s not just her.

“Of all my Christmases, this is the bleakest so far, but there is comfort in knowing I am not the only one feeling that,” she says.

“I am very blessed to have my children with me on my Christmas morning, being in a house and being able to put the kettle on – that’s a privilege compared to some.

“It’s going to be full of love – less presents, but more love.”

* Names have been changed

UK

Who was at the Pope’s funeral – and who wasn’t

Published

4 hours ago

April 26, 2025

admin

Who was at the Pope's funeral - and who wasn't

The Pope’s funeral is taking place today at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

A pope’s funeral traditionally brings world leaders together, and several were in attendance.

Watch full coverage of the Pope’s funeral live on Sky News from 8am

Here’s a look at the list.

Prince William

The Prince of Wales attended the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of the King.

The King was in Rome with Queen Camilla earlier this month, and met the pontiff at the Vatican.

The trip came just a week-and-a-half after Buckingham Palace confirmed the King had been taken to hospital following side effects related to his ongoing cancer treatment.

Sir Keir Starmer

Number 10 confirmed the prime minister received an invite and so he attended the ceremony.

Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir said there had been “an outpouring of grief and love” for the Pope.

He added: “I think it reflects the high esteem in which he was held, not just by millions and millions of Catholics, but by many others, across the world, myself included.”

Donald Trump

The US president was one of the first to confirm he would be flying to Rome, adding he would be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, he said: “Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”

The Pope had been critical of Mr Trump at times during his tenure.

In January, he said it would be a “disgrace” if the president went ahead with his crackdown on immigration, telling an Italian television station: “It would make the migrants, who have nothing, pay the unpaid bill.

“It doesn’t work. You don’t resolve problems this way.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian president, who met the Pope three times, was also in attendance – and there was an outbreak of applause for him when he arrived.

Mr Zelenskyy has said his country is grieving the Pope and recalled how he often prayed for peace in Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron

The French President Emmanuel Macron also attended the funeral with his wife Brigitte.

In his tribute on Monday, Mr Macron said of the Pope: “In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile.”

Giorgia Meloni

The Italian premier, along Argentine leader Javier Milei (below) had place of pride in the seating order for the service.

The Vatican is, of course, surrounded by the Italian capital Rome, while the Pope was born and grew up in Argentina and was once Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Javier Milei

The president of Pope Francis’s native Argentina was also at the ceremony, despite having launched insults at Francis in recent years.

Before taking office in December 2023, the far-right politician called him “an imbecile, the representative of evil on Earth”.

Mr Milei alluded to their “differences” in his tribute to the late Pope, writing: “It is with profound sorrow that I learned this sad morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, passed away today and is now resting in peace.

“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honour for me.”

Joe Biden

Former US president Joe Biden, 82, was at the funeral with his wife Jill. The couple were seen taking their places in the bright sunshine prior to the service.

Mr Biden appeared to be getting some help to his seat, taking the arm of a member of the church.

Lula da Silva

The Brazilian president and first lady Janja Lula da Silva were also at the funeral.

Brazil had also declared a seven-day mourning period for the Pope.

“Humanity is today losing a voice of respect and welcome for others,” the president said in his tribute.

“Pope Francis lived and propagated in his daily life the love, tolerance and solidarity that are the basis of Christian
teachings.”

Ursula von der Leyen

The EU Commission President confirmed she was attending after calling Francis a worldwide inspiration.

“He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate,” she said in her tribute.

Council President Antonio Costa, Parliament President Roberta Metsola was also expected to be in attendance.

Here are some of the other notable attendees:

• Ireland’s taoiseach Micheal Martin
• Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia
• Albanian president Bajram Begaj
• Angola’s president Joao Lourenco
• Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen
• Bangladesh’s chief adviser and interim leader Muhammad Yunus
• Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, along with prime minister Bart De Wever
• Canada’s governor general Mary Simon
• Cape Verde president Jose Maria Neves
• Croatia’s president Zoran Milanovic
• Cyprian president Nikos Christodoulides
• Czech Republic’s prime minister Petr Fiala
• Democratic Republic of Congo president Felix Tshisekedi
• Dominican Republic’s president Luis Abinader
• East Timor’s president Jose Ramos-Horta
• Ecuador’s president Daniel Noboa
• Estonia’s president Alar Karis
• Finland’s president Alexander Stubb
• Gabon’s president Brice Oligui Nguema
• German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz
• Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
• Honduras president Xiomara Castro
• Hungary’s president Tamas Sulyok
• Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella and prime minister Giorgia Meloni
• Latvian president Edgars Rinkevics
• Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda
• Moldova’s president Maia Sandu
• Netherlands’ prime minister Dick Schoof
• New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon
• Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit
• The Philippines’ president Ferdinand Marcos Jr
• Poland’s president Andrzej Duda
• Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and prime minister Luis Montenegro
• Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan
• Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and prime minister Ulf Kristersson
• Switzerland’s president Karin Keller-Sutter

Who was not there?

Vladimir Putin

The Russian president did not attend the funeral.

But the controversial leader paid tribute to the Pope, writing a message to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is interim chief of the Catholic Church.

“Please accept my most sincere condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Mr Putin said.

“Throughout the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian
Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See.”

Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also did not attend the ceremony, with the country’s ambassador Yaron Sideman going instead.

The Jewish state and the Vatican have had strong relations in the past, with Israel sending a presidential delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, and Pope Francis visiting Israel in 2014.

But their relationship has deteriorated since the start of the war in Gaza.

A month after the conflict started in 2023, a dispute broke out over whether Pope Francis had used the word “genocide” to describe events in Gaza. Palestinians who met with him said he did, but the Vatican said he did not.

The Pope met relatives of Israeli hostages on the same day.

Israeli officials have since lobbied the Vatican to be more forceful in its condemnation of Hamas.

In January, the Pope called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “shameful”, prompting criticism from Rome’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, who accused Francis of “selective indignation”.

Rabbi Di Segni said he would be attending the funeral, despite it taking place on the Jewish sabbath.

Was there a seating plan?

The seats were assigned in advance, with the heads of state sitting in French alphabetical order based on their country’s name, rather than on the individual’s.

This applied to everyone apart from the presidents of Italy and Argentina, who got the best seats because the Pope lived in Italy and was an Argentinian native.

UK

Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died, her family says

Published

10 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died, her family says

Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died aged 41.

In a statement to Sky’s US partner network NBC News on Friday, her family said she took her own life in the Perth suburb of Neergabby, Australia, where she had been living for several years.

“It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia,” her family said.

“She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors.

“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”

Police said emergency services received reports of an unresponsive woman at a property in Neergabby on Friday night.

“Police and St John Western Australia attended and provided emergency first aid. Sadly, the 41-year-old woman was declared deceased at the scene,” a police spokeswoman said.

“The death is being investigated by Major Crime detectives; early indication is the death is not suspicious.”

Sexual assault claims

Ms Giuffre sued the Duke of York for sexual abuse in August 2021, saying Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 and had been trafficked by his friend, the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The duke has repeatedly denied the claims, and he has not been charged with any criminal offences.

In March 2022, it was announced Ms Giuffre and Andrew had reached an out-of-court settlement – believed to include a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”.

She stuck by her version of events until the end

Of the many dozens of victims of Jeffrey Epstein, it was Virginia Giuffre who became the most high-profile.

She was among the loudest and most compelling voices, urging criminal charges to be brought against Epstein, waving her right to anonymity in 2015.

She told how he and Ghislaine Maxwell groomed her and “passed around like a platter of fruit” to be used by rich and powerful men.

But her name and face became known around the world after she accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old.

The picture of her together with the prince and Maxwell at the top of a staircase, his hand around her waist, is the defining image of the whole scandal.

Prince Andrew said he had no memory of the occasion. But Giuffre stuck by her version of events until the end.

‘An incredible champion’

Sigrid McCawley, Ms Giuffre’s attorney, said in a statement that she “was much more than a client to me; she was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims”.

“Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring,” she said. “The world has lost an amazing human being today.”

“Rest in peace, my sweet angel,” she added.

Dini von Mueffling, Ms Giuffre’s representative, also said that “Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honour to know”.

“Deeply loving, wise, and funny, she was a beacon to other survivors and victims,” she added. “She adored her children and many animals.

“She was always more concerned with me than with herself. I will miss her beyond words.

“It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”

Ms Giuffre said at the end of March she had four days to live after a car accident, posting on social media that “I’ve gone into kidney renal failure”. She was discharged from hospital eight days later.

Raised mainly in Florida, she said she was abused by a family friend early in life, which led to her living on the streets at times as a teenager.

She said that in 2000, she met Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who was convicted in 2021 on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Ms Giuffre said Maxwell then introduced her to Epstein and hired her as his masseuse, and said she was sex trafficked and sexually abused by him and associates around the world.

‘A survivor’

After meeting her husband in 2002, while taking massage training in Thailand at what she said was Epstein’s behest, she moved to Australia and had a family.

She founded the sex trafficking victims’ advocacy charity SOAR in 2015, and is quoted on its website as saying: “I do this for victims everywhere.

“I am no longer the young and vulnerable girl who could be bullied. I am now a survivor, and nobody can ever take that away from me.”

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

UK

Who will be at the Pope’s funeral – and who won’t be

Published

10 hours ago

April 26, 2025

admin

Who will be at the Pope's funeral - and who won't be

The Pope’s funeral will take place today at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

A pope’s funeral traditionally brings world leaders together, and some have already revealed they are attending.

Watch full coverage of the Pope’s funeral live on Sky News from 8am

Here’s a look at the list.

Prince William

The Prince of Wales will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of the King, Kensington Palace has said.

The King was in Rome with Queen Camilla earlier this month, and met the pontiff at the Vatican.

The trip came just a week-and-a-half after Buckingham Palace confirmed the King had been taken to hospital following side effects related to his ongoing cancer treatment.

Sir Keir Starmer

Number 10 has confirmed the prime minister received an invite and will attend the ceremony.

Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir said there had been “an outpouring of grief and love” for the Pope.

He added: “I think it reflects the high esteem in which he was held, not just by millions and millions of Catholics, but by many others, across the world, myself included.”

Donald Trump

The US president was one of the first to confirm he would be flying to Rome, adding he would be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, he said: “Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”

The Pope had been critical of Mr Trump at times during his tenure.

“It doesn’t work. You don’t resolve problems this way.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian president, who met the Pope three times, is expected to attend, according to officials in Ukraine.

In his tribute, Mr Zelenskyy said his country was grieving the Pope and recalled how he often prayed for peace in Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron

The French president told local reporters he would be going to the funeral.

In his tribute on Monday, Mr Macron said of the Pope: “In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile.”

Javier Milei

The president of Pope Francis’s native Argentina will attend, despite having launched insults at Francis in recent years.

Before taking office in December 2023, the far-right politician called him “an imbecile, the representative of evil on Earth”.

“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honour for me.”

Lula da Silva

The Brazilian president and first lady Janja Lula da Silva will be at the funeral, the country’s government announced.

Brazil has also declared a seven-day mourning period for the Pope.

“Humanity is today losing a voice of respect and welcome for others,” the president said in his tribute.

“Pope Francis lived and propagated in his daily life the love, tolerance and solidarity that are the basis of Christian
teachings.”

Ursula von der Leyen

The EU Commission President confirmed she would be attending after calling Francis a worldwide inspiration.

“He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate,” she said in her tribute.

Council President Antonio Costa, Parliament President Roberta Metsola are also expected to attend.

Here are some of the other notable attendees:

Who won’t be there?

Vladimir Putin

The Russian president will not be attending the funeral, the Kremlin has confirmed.

But the controversial leader paid tribute to the Pope, writing a message to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is interim chief of the Catholic Church.

“Please accept my most sincere condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Mr Putin said.

Benjamin Netanyahu

The Israeli prime minister is not expected to attend, with the country’s ambassador Yaron Sideman going instead.

But their relationship has deteriorated since the start of the war in Gaza.

The Pope met relatives of Israeli hostages on the same day.

Israeli officials have since lobbied the Vatican to be more forceful in its condemnation of Hamas.

In January, the Pope called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “shameful”, prompting criticism from Rome’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, who accused Francis of “selective indignation”.

Rabbi Di Segni says he will be attending the funeral, despite it taking place on the Jewish sabbath.

Is there a seating plan?

The seats are assigned in advance, with the heads of state sitting in French alphabetical order based on their country’s name, rather than on the individual’s.

This applies to everyone apart from the presidents of Italy and Argentina, who get the best seats because the Pope lived in Italy and was an Argentinian native.