LONDON – Britain’s King Charles III, head of the Church of England, and Queen Camilla will undertake a historic state visit to the Vatican next week to meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
The visit, scheduled for October 22nd and 23rd, will be the first meeting between the British monarchs and Pope Leo XIV since his election in May 2025. The trip comes approximately six months after the royal couple met with his predecessor, Pope Francis, in a private audience shortly before his death.
Pope Francis, who led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics for 12 years, died on April 21. His successor, Pope Leo XIV, is a 70-year-old from the United States with a history of missionary work in Peru and was elected on May 8.
According to the palace, the King and Queen will join Pope Leo in celebrating the current special jubilee year. The itinerary includes a service in the Sistine Chapel that will reflect the shared “commitment to the protection of nature and concern for the environment” held by both leaders.
During the visit, the King will also tour a seminary that trains priests from across the Commonwealth. The Queen will meet with Catholic sisters from a body that works on girls’ education programmes to combat challenges such as sexual violence, human trafficking, and poor access to healthcare.
The palace described the visit as “a significant moment” in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, recognising their “ecumenical work” and reflecting the Jubilee year’s theme of walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
The British monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, which was established in the 16th century after King Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church. Despite centuries of conflict following the split, relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches have been amicable in modern times.
King Charles, 76, who is still receiving treatment for cancer, has visited the Vatican on five previous occasions as the Prince of Wales, meeting three different popes.
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