King Charles III is set to make a historic state visit to the Vatican next week, marking the first time a British monarch will pray publicly with a pope in the Sistine Chapel since the Reformation. The two-day visit, announced by Buckingham Palace, will see the King and Queen Camilla meet Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected American-born pontiff, on Wednesday.
The King, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, will attend an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel where he and the Pope will pray together. This is a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which Charles is Supreme Governor. The last such public prayer occurred before Henry VIII broke from Rome in 1534.
During the visit, Pope Leo will bestow the honour of 'Royal Confrater' of the Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls on the King. A special seat, decorated with the King's coat of arms, will be created for him in the basilica, which will remain for use by his heirs and successors. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson described the title as 'an ecumenical gesture of hospitality' that does not alter the King's constitutional role.
The King and Queen previously visited the late Pope Francis in April, just days before his death. The new visit will also include a meeting on sustainability, and Queen Camilla will view Michelangelo's frescoes in the Pauline Chapel. Children from the Chapel Royal and St George's Chapel choirs will sing during the service.
