King Charles today became the first British monarch in 500 years to pray in public with a pope as he made a historic state visit to The Holy See.
His Majesty, accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla, were introduced to Pope Leo XIV in the Apostolic Palace library – the traditional place for such meetings.
Then, with three short words, the Pope ended almost half a millennium of division between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England in the Sistine Chapel. ‘Let us pray,’ he said, as the King stood to his left.
The King and Queen had earlier arrived at the ceremonial entrance to the palace in the San Damaso Courtyard, having been driven through iconic St Peter’s Square.
The couple were greeted by the Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, Reverend Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza.
Camilla wore a Fiona Clare black silk dress, Philip Treacy mantilla and a ‘raspberry pip’ brooch in the shape of a cross, which previously belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
As per tradition Pope Leo was waiting inside the palace to greet his visitors.
In footage released by Vatican Media, the King and Queen could be seen getting out of their State Bentley with Camilla saying: ‘Lovely to be here.’
After walking through the Apostolic Palace they were greeted by the Pope who said: ‘Good morning, welcome.’
The King replied: ‘Your Holiness, it’s such a pleasure to meet you if I may say so. You are so kind to see us.’
Posing for official photographs he also quipped: ‘Constant hazard, the cameras.’
The Pope added: ‘You get used to it.’
They then sat down to chat with the King telling his host: ‘I am so thrilled.’
At the official exchange of gifts, the King indicated to his and said: ‘A small token of my esteem and appreciation.’
The day’s ceremonial events began with a Guard of Honour provided by the iconic Swiss Guard and the playing of both the British and Vatican City national anthems.
Their Majesties were also met by a group of ‘Papal Gentlemen’ and the ‘Gentlemen of the Pope’, Prince of Windisch-Gaetz, Mariano Hugo, before being guided inside.
The Swiss Guards are one of the oldest and most prestigious European military forces, drawn exclusively from Roman Catholic Swiss citizens who have completed military training. They fulfill ceremonial functions and form the Pope’s bodyguard.
After the King and Queen were introduced to the pope, there was an exchange of gifts – with His Majesty presenting the Catholic leader with a large silver photograph, and Icon of St Edward the Confessor.
The Pope presented His Majesty with a scale version of the mosaic of ‘Christ Pantocrator’, in the Norman Cathedral of Cefalu, in Sicily. The mosaic was made in the Vatican.
The King also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Cardinal Secretary of State, who attended his coronation in May 2023.
The Cardinal was the first papal representative to attend the Coronation of a British monarch for almost 500 years.
The visit comes 40 years after Queen Elizabeth II banned the King from taking part in a papal Mass when he visited Vatican City with former wife Diana, Princess of Wales in 1985.
Charles, 76, who has been a life-long advocate for better inter-Faith dialogue and relations, had been keen to join Pope John Paul II in prayer.
The then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, wrote to the Vatican to say that the Prince and Princess of Wales would like to attend a service.
While the Pope’s office initially agreed to make the arrangements, Buckingham Palace later contacted them overruling the decision, saying a Papal audience would be sufficient during their 17-day tour of Italy.
Britain and the Vatican had only established full diplomatic relations three years earlier after a rift of more than four and a half centuries following Henry VIII’s decision to break with the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s when it refused to allow him to divorce Katharine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.
The 1534 Act of Supremacy saw Henry proclaim himself and his successors head of the Church of England.
However King Charles, now Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and Pope Leo XIV today took part in an ecumenical service – one that involves a number of Christian faiths – in the historic Sistine Chapel as they mark the Catholic Church’s 2025 ‘Jubilee year’, which takes place every quarter of a century.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed it was the first time since the Reformation of the 1530s that a British sovereign took part in a public act of worship with the leader of the Catholic Church – and described it as a ‘significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England’.
They added that it recognised the ecumenical work both men had taken in their lives and reflected the Jubilee’s theme of walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
In another recognition of his lifetime of campaigning on issues of inter-faith harmony, Pope Leo also afforded the King the huge honour of making him a ‘Royal Confrater’ of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls.
The gift of ‘confraternity’ is a recognition of spiritual fellowship – ‘frater’ meaning brother in Latin.
In further celebration of this new bond, a special seat has been created for His Majesty, which will remain in the Basilica as a perpetual mark of mutual respect between Pope Leo and The King as Heads of State.
The chair is decorated with His Majesty’s Coat of Arms and will be used by the King during the service, after which it will remain in the apse of the Basilica for future use by the monarch and his heirs and successors.
Today marks Their Majesties’ first meeting with Pope Leo since his election in May.
The couple met briefly in private with the previous incumbent, Pope Francis, when they visited in April but had to cancel several planned engagements with him due to his ill health.
While the King sits down for talks with Pope Leo, Her Majesty viewed the Pauline Chapel, which houses Michaelangelo’s last two frescoes of St Peter and St Paul.
Both the King and Queen then joined the Pope for the special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, focused on the theme of ‘Care for Creation’.
This reflects Pope Leo’s and His Majesty’s commitment to the protection of Nature and concern for the environment.
Their Majesties, accompanied by Pope Leo, attended the special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, marking the joining of hands between the Catholic Church and Church of England.
The King and Queen were first to take their seats on a stage facing the congregation, before Pope Leo and the Archbishop of York entered a few minutes later, signalling the start of the service.
The Children of the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal and the Choir of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, performed in another sign of friendship, accompanied by the Sistine Chapel Choir.
The Choir of the Sistine Chapel and Lay Clerks from Windsor then sang two Psalms together.
The service included an introduction by Pope Leo and the Archbishop of York and a reading from the Letter to the Romans by the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper.
At the conclusion of the service, The King, accompanied by Pope Leo, moved to the ‘Sala Regia’, a room next door to the Chapel.
The Queen remained in the Sistine Chapel to meet the Choirs.
The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had the old Cappella Magna restored between 1477 and 1480. The Chapel’s walls were decorated in the 15th century and feature stories of Moses and Christ and portraits of Popes.
From 1508 to 1512 Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, before being commissioned in 1533 to paint the Last Judgement on the altar wall.
The Sistine Chapel is also the site of the Papal Conclave, for the election of the Supreme Pontiff, which most recently took place in May this year.
In another significant and historic step today, the couple visited the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.
One of the four major Papal Basilicas, it is the one most closely associated with the Catholic Church’s ecumenical commitment and has historic links with the English Crown.
For centuries, the heraldic shield of the Abbey has been surrounded by the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the UK’s highest order of chivalry.
The King and the Pope also joined a meeting on sustainability.
Before he departed, Charles attended a reception at The Pontifical Beda College, a seminary which trains priests from across the Commonwealth, meeting students and members of the British and Vatican community.
Meanwhile, Her Majesty met six Catholic Sisters from The International Union of Superiors General, who are working around the world at grassroots level to support female empowerment, through girls’ education programmes, improved access to healthcare, climate action, peace building and tackling sexual violence and human trafficking.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: ‘At a time of global instability and conflict, the UK’s relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever – and this historic State Visit will be a key moment to strengthen this relationship.
‘The Holy See has been a key actor on the international stage, promoting peace, effective measures to combat climate change and promote human dignity.
‘The Catholic Church is the largest denomination of the world’s largest religion; it is the world’s largest non-state education provider, educating 68 million students worldwide, and delivers a quarter of the world’s healthcare.
‘His Majesty’s visit will therefore strengthen the UK’s relationship with this crucial and influential partner, helping to deliver on the Government’s priorities – from promoting peace and security around the world to working with our international partners to tackle climate change.’
