The King and Queen arrived in Rome on Wednesday evening ahead of a historic state visit to the Holy See, where the monarch will meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time and become the first Supreme Governor of the Church of England to pray with the head of the Roman Catholic Church in nearly five centuries.
The royal couple touched down at Ciampino Airport just before 6.30pm, greeted by senior Vatican and British representatives including Christopher Trott, the UK’s Ambassador to the Holy See, and Archbishop Francesco Canalini, retired Apostolic Nuncio.
Dressed in a feather-print silk dress by Fiona Clare and a camel cashmere coat by Anna Valentine, Queen Camilla said it was “a great pleasure to be here.” The King added, “It is wonderful to be able to come back to Rome.”
On Thursday, King Charles III will attend an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel alongside Pope Leo XIV, a moment of immense symbolic importance marking the first public prayer between a reigning British monarch and a pontiff since the English Reformation under Henry VIII.
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The service, themed around “care for creation,” reflects the shared environmental concerns of both leaders. “At a time of such global challenge, it has seldom been more important for Christian communities to unite in faith and fellowship,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said. “This visit stands as a symbol of how far we have come on that unifying journey.”
The King will also meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and later attend a service at St Paul’s Outside the Walls, a basilica with centuries-old ties to the English Crown. There, a new seat has been created in the King’s honour and will remain permanently for use by his successors. He will also be conferred the honorary title of “Royal Confrater”, meaning “spiritual brother,” in recognition of the monarchy’s historical connection to the Benedictine abbey.
A Personal and Political Pilgrimage
Buckingham Palace described the visit as “deeply significant” to the King personally, aligning with his lifelong interest in interfaith dialogue and religious reconciliation. The occasion will also form part of the Papal Jubilee, a 25-year celebration of renewal and unity within the Catholic Church.
The trip, initially scheduled for April, was postponed due to the ill-health of Pope Francis, whom the royal couple met privately during their visit to Italy that month, just two weeks before his death.
For King Charles, this marks a return to a city he has visited five times as Prince of Wales. Over the years, he has met three previous popes ,John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis but this will be his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV as sovereign.
Church Unity After Centuries of Division
The event carries weight far beyond ceremony. It symbolizes a bridge across one of Christianity’s oldest divides , the schism between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.
Before the 16th century, England was a Catholic nation under papal authority. The Reformation, led by King Henry VIII in 1534, broke that bond after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. In creating the Church of England, Henry established a new national church, severing ties with Rome and setting in motion centuries of theological and political estrangement.
While relations have often been strained, the past decades have seen a remarkable thaw. Ecumenical dialogue has grown since the Second Vatican Council, with both churches seeking common ground in faith and shared social causes. The King’s visit now represents the most tangible expression of reconciliation yet between Canterbury and Rome.
The Palace also hopes the state visit will redirect public focus from the ongoing Prince Andrew scandal, which has dominated media coverage in recent weeks. The Duke of York recently relinquished use of his title and the Order of the Garter, prompting calls for the King to take further disciplinary action.
Nonetheless, aides stress that the trip’s primary purpose is spiritual, not political. “This visit is a landmark in the relationship between the Church of England and the Catholic Church — and between the United Kingdom and the Holy See,” a palace spokesman said.
The royal tour will conclude with a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, a seminary that trains priests from across the Commonwealth. Queen Camilla will also meet members of the International Union of Superiors General, representing Catholic Sisters from around the world.
As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, King Charles is expected to emphasize unity and environmental stewardship — values shared by the papacy. “This visit is about faith, harmony, and hope,” a palace aide said. “It reminds us that even after centuries of division, prayer can still bring people together.”
