King Charles III and Queen Camilla are scheduled to undertake a state visit to the Vatican from April 7 to 10, 2025, during which they plan to meet with Pope Francis on April 8. This visit is set to proceed despite Pope Francis’s recent hospitalization for pneumonia. The Pope, aged 88, has been receiving treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for over a month but is reportedly showing signs of improvement.
The royal couple’s visit aims to strengthen relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, which historically separated in the 16th century. During their time in Rome, King Charles, and Queen Camilla are expected to participate in a service at the Sistine Chapel and visit the Papal Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. Additionally, King Charles is scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella and will become the first British monarch to address the Italian Parliament.
The visit coincides with the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary and reflects ongoing efforts to build ecumenical bridges between the two churches. Buckingham Palace has expressed hopes and prayers for Pope Francis’s continued recovery, anticipating that his health will permit the planned engagements to proceed as scheduled.
This trip also holds personal significance for King Charles, who has previously met with Pope Francis and has shown a longstanding interest in fostering interfaith dialogue. The visit underscores the importance of unity and collaboration between different Christian denominations, particularly during significant religious observances such as the Jubilee Year 2025.
As preparations continue, both the Vatican and Buckingham Palace are closely monitoring Pope Francis’s health, with the shared hope that he will be well enough to engage fully in the planned activities during the royal visit.
