King Charles and Queen Camilla to visit Vatican, Marking Frist Meeting with Pope Leo XIV
VATICAN CITY – King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to undertake a state visit to the Vatican, their first official meeting with Pope Leo XIV following his election in May. Buckingham Palace confirmed the visit today, signaling a continuation of the close relationship between the Church of England and the Catholic Church.
The visit comes after a period of meaningful change for the Catholic Church and a year of transition for the Church of England, with a new Archbishop of Canterbury soon to be appointed. It also follows the recent passing of Pope Francis, whom the King and Queen met with privately just weeks before his death – a meeting arranged on their 20th wedding anniversary at the pontiff’s request.
The King and Queen’s planned state visit in early April was cancelled due to Pope Francis’s declining health, but they were able to visit him privately during a trip to Italy. that meeting, on April 9th, saw the pontiff personally extend his congratulations on their wedding anniversary.Following the news of Pope Francis’s death on April 21st, King Charles released a statement expressing his and the Queen’s “moast deeply saddened” sentiments.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King charles sent a private message of congratulations to Pope Leo XIV upon his election. Details regarding the agenda for the upcoming state visit have not yet been released, but it is expected to focus on shared values and ongoing dialogue between the two churches. The King’s attendance at the requiem mass of the Catholic Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral was previously noted as a significant moment of Christian unity.
