Melania Trump 'body double' theory reignited following Pope Francis' funeral appearance

Melania Trump has reignited speculation that she uses a body double after appearing at alongside her husband, .

, dressed in a sombre black blazer dress and veil, but social media users were convinced that the woman accompanying Trump in Rome was not the real .

Online observers pointed out supposed discrepancies in the woman's appearance, with one user wildly exclaiming: "Holy smokes! ! Where is Melania? ? No one's fooled by the body double beside Trump. This one is finally revealed as the fake Melania. Look at those un-sunglassed eyes: overly made up, not Melania's eyes or cheekbones."

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Others chimed in with similar sentiments, with one person commenting: "Reports are that one of the fake Melania stand-ins is going to Rome with Epstein child crime cohort Donald Trump for the Pope Francis funeral."

Another user asked: "Am I crazy or is this a fake Melania?".

Some even speculated about the Trumps' marriage, suggesting that the alleged body double is used to create an illusion of a happy relationship. "There's an obviously fake version of Melania that they keep trotting out to extend the illusion of the Trumps happily married + her engaged in his Presidency when they're estranged, she can't stand him + it's all a financial arrangement.", one person claimes, reports .

Despite the rumours, there is no concrete evidence to support the claims that Melania uses a body double.

A social media user has cast doubts on the authenticity of with a video shared as she and the former President were headed to Rome last Friday, captioning it with a controversial claim: "Another look at Fake Melania, cosplaying as the First Lady fooling Americans."

Hours before the funeral unfolded, Donald was spotted next to Melania, clad in a trench coat and sunglasses – fuelling speculation among some observers that the former First Lady might be employing a body double.

World figures convened to pay their respects to the departed Pope. was present, representing his father , who could not attend due to health concerns.

The solemn rites were observed in St. Peter's Square, adjacent to the renowned St. Peter's Basilica within Vatican City.

Pope Francis marked a break from the past by foregoing the customary ostentatious funeral rituals of previous Popes, choosing to be buried in St. Mary Major instead of the usual resting place beneath St. Peter's Basilica, possibly becoming the first pontiff in beyond a century to not be interred there.

In a gesture of humility, the Pope's remains were encased in a simple wooden coffin, eschewing the traditionally elaborate triple-layered sarcophagi reserved for his predecessors.

Despite the restrained approach to funeral arrangements, the event still managed to draw vast throngs of mourners from all around the globe.

After the Pope's funeral, cardinals are expected to gather within 15 to 20 days to choose his successor in a conclave. The news of Pope Francis's death came as a shock after he suffered a stroke on Monday, shortly after he had bestowed blessings upon the crowds in St. Peter's Square just the previous day.