King Charles and Queen Camilla will begin their two-day state visit to the Vatican, marking a historic moment in British-Catholic Church relations. The trip will see Charles meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time since the pontiff's election to office.
The visit represents unprecedented religious diplomacy, as Charles will become the first British monarch since the Reformation to pray at a public service with the Pope. As Supreme Governor of the Church of England meeting the head of the Catholic Church, the occasion carries profound symbolic weight.
The visit to the Holy See celebrates the Papal Jubilee, held every 25 years, and is understood to hold deep personal significance for the King. This historic diplomatic moment underscores the evolving relationship between the British monarchy and the Catholic Church.
Postponed visit now proceeding
The state visit was originally scheduled for April but required postponement due to Pope Francis's health problems. The royal couple did meet Francis privately before his death later that month, but the formal state visit arrangements were rescheduled.
The couple will arrive in Italy later, with the programme of events to be carried out on Thursday. The timing allows for proper ceremonial preparations at the Vatican.
Historic ceremonial events planned
Pope Leo XIV will greet the royal couple at his official residence, the Apostolic Palace. While Queen Camilla tours the Pauline Chapel to view Michelangelo's frescoes of St Peter and St Paul, Charles will meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's Secretary of State.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "This will be the first state visit, since the Reformation, where the Pope and the Monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the monarch will have attended a service in St Paul's Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English Crown."
The special ecumenical service will focus on care for creation, reflecting both the Pope's and King's shared commitment to environmental protection. This theme underscores their mutual concern for nature and climate issues.
Royal recognition at historic basilica
The King and Queen will attend a service at the Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls, where a special seat has been created for Charles. This seat will remain permanently for use by his successors, cementing the connection between future British monarchs and the basilica.
Charles will be made "Royal Confrater" of the Benedictine Abbey, continuing a centuries-old tradition where monarchs provided for the upkeep of St Paul's tomb. The state visit will conclude with Charles attending a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, a seminary training Commonwealth priests, while Camilla meets six Catholic Sisters from the International Union of Superiors General.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
