King Charles, Queen Camilla have private meeting with Pope

The King and Queen had previously postponed their official state visit to the Vatican because of the Pope’s health. During their meeting on April 9, the Pope congratulated the royal couple on the 20th anniversary of their wedding and “reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health”, the Vatican Press Office said.

King Charles was hospitalised briefly on March 27 for what was described as “temporary side effects” from his cancer treatment. Pope Francis has been convalescing at the Vatican since being released from hospital on March 23.

The Vatican Press Office had said on April 8 that the Pope was just beginning to receive a few visitors rather than spending his days only with his personal secretaries and the medical personnel caring for him.

While he was still the Prince of Wales, the King last met Pope Francis in 2019 when he came to the Vatican for the canonisation of St John Henry Newman. His last private audience with Pope Francis was in 2017.

The state visit of the King and Queen had been planned to coincide with the Holy Year 2025, “a year of reconciliation, prayer and walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’ which is the Jubilee’s theme”, Buckingham Palace said.

During their three-day visit to Rome, the British monarchs met with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. On Wednesday, the King also became the first British Monarch to address the assembled Houses of Parliament in Montecitorio.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla meet Pope at Vatican (By Cindy Wooden/CNS)

King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Pope Francis on their anniversary – Vatican News (Vatican News)