King Charles has become the first reigning British monarch to pray publicly with a pope since Henry VIII split from Rome in 1534. The historic event took place on Thursday in the Sistine Chapel, where the King and Queen Camilla joined Pope Leo for a service blending Catholic and Anglican traditions.
The service, held under Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes, featured hymns from the Sistine Chapel choir and two royal choirs, and began with the Lord’s Prayer in English. The visit comes amid a sensitive period for Charles, following his brother Prince Andrew’s agreement to give up the Duke of York title due to his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite the backdrop, the King appeared in good spirits, joking with Pope Leo about the cameras present. Leo, the first US pontiff elected in May, responded, “You get used to it.” The monarch and queen also visited the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where Charles was granted the title “royal confrater”.
The event has drawn criticism from some Protestant quarters. Reverend Kyle Paisley, a Free Presbyterian cleric from Northern Ireland, said the King should abdicate if he prayed with the pope, arguing it broke his oath to uphold the Protestant faith. The Independent Loyal Orange Institution also expressed “deep concern”.
Vatican correspondents noted the symbolic significance for Catholic-Anglican reconciliation, which began in earnest in the 1960s. Iacopo Scaramuzzi of La Repubblica commented that Charles seemed eager to meet the new pope early in his pontificate. The King last visited the Vatican in April, shortly before the death of Pope Francis.
