King Charles III and Queen Camilla have landed in Italy ahead of their landmark state visit to the Vatican, where they are due to meet Pope Leo XIV. The couple were formally greeted at Ciampino 31st Wing Airport in Rome by representatives from the Holy See, including Christopher Trott, British ambassador to the Holy See, and Monsignor Javier Domingo Fernández González, head of the Vatican's protocol office.
The visit marks the first time a British monarch since the Reformation will pray publicly alongside the Pope. On Thursday, King Charles will join Pope Leo for an ecumenical service at the Sistine Chapel, a powerful symbol of unity between Anglicans and Catholics in a turbulent world.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: 'His Majesty is greatly looking forward to meeting Pope Leo and celebrating together the historical significance of this visit, representing, as it does, such a landmark in relationships between the Church of England and the Catholic Church.' The spokesperson added that at a time of global challenges, Christian communities must unite 'as a bulwark against those promoting conflict, division and tyranny'.
The two-day state visit was originally scheduled for April but was postponed due to the ill health of Pope Francis, who died later that month. King Charles has previously met three popes: Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. This is his first meeting with Pope Leo since the pontiff's election.
