In a historic move, King Charles III has become the first British monarch in nearly 500 years to visit the Vatican to attend an ecumenical service with Pope Leo XIV. The visit, which takes place as part of the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee Year, has been officially confirmed by Buckingham Palace, which described it as a "historic moment for interfaith relations and for spiritual dialogue between the Church of England and the Holy See."
At the age of 76, King Charles III becomes the first British monarch to participate in a public act of worship with a Pope since the Church of England split from Rome in the 1530s during Henry VIII's Reformation. The moment marks a significant turning point in the history of relations between the two religious institutions that have been separated for five centuries.
According to a Buckingham Palace statement, during the ceremony to be held in the Sistine Chapel, the King and Queen Camilla will take part in a joint ecumenical service with Pope Leo XIV, dedicated to the theme of “Care for Creation.” This theme coincides with King Charles’ long-standing commitment to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development – an area in which Pope Leo XIV has also often stressed the importance of human responsibility towards nature.
In recognition of the King's efforts in promoting interreligious dialogue and spiritual cooperation between religious communities, Pope Leo XIV will grant him the honorary title of "Royal Confrater" of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls (San Paolo Fuori le Mura). This is a symbolic spiritual title, representing a special brotherhood with the Catholic Church - the Latin word "frater" means "brother".
A special chair has been built in the basilica for His Majesty, which will be used during the service and will remain there permanently, as a symbol of mutual respect between the Pope and the King, in their capacity as heads of state and important spiritual figures.
The King and Queen's visit will last two days, on Wednesday and Thursday, and despite its short duration, it carries deep symbolic and diplomatic weight. During their stay in the Vatican, King Charles III and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time since his election in May this year. Previously, the royal couple had held a brief meeting with Pope Francis in April, but many of the activities planned at that time were cancelled due to the Pope's health.
According to Buckingham Palace, this will be the first state visit since the Reformation in which a Pope and a British monarch will pray together. It is also the first time in history that an English monarch has attended a service at St Paul's Outside the Walls, a site with historical connections to the British crown and early figures of Christianity in Europe.
As part of the visit, Queen Camilla will also visit the Pauline Chapel, home to two of Michelangelo's last frescoes, depicting Saint Peter and Saint Paul, fundamental figures of Christianity.
The program also includes an official meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, where topics related to humanitarian cooperation, the environment, and interfaith relations in a global context are expected to be discussed.
