King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV during an official state visit to Vatican City in October 2025, marking a significant moment for the British royal family. The visit will take place over two days, following the royal couple’s earlier trip to Italy this year. Initially, King Charles and Queen Camilla were set to meet Pope Francis in April during their state visit to Italy. However, the visit was postponed due to the pope’s deteriorating health, and instead, the royal couple had a private meeting with him on April 9.
Tragically, Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, after a prolonged illness, including a 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia. Following his death, a papal conclave convened, leading to the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost. Pope Leo, 70, is the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and while King Charles and Queen Camilla have not yet met him in person, the pope recently extended a touching tribute to the late Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who passed away on September 4 at the age of 92.
Pope Leo’s message was delivered during the Duchess’s funeral mass on September 16, 2025, marking the first Catholic funeral for a member of the British royal family in modern history. In his message, Pope Leo expressed his condolences, praising the Duchess for her Christian goodness and dedication to charity and public service. The pope’s gesture underscored the growing warmth in the relationship between the British royal family and the Catholic Church.
In the midst of these significant royal events, King Charles, 76, continues to maintain his public duties despite ongoing treatments for cancer. This year, he has hosted state visits from both the presidents of France and the United States, demonstrating his commitment to his royal responsibilities. While King Charles has rarely spoken about his health, he recently made light of the challenges of aging during a visit to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. When asked by a fellow cancer patient about his recovery, the King replied, “not too bad.” He also joked with another patient about the trials of getting older, saying, “This is the terrible thing, as I am discovering already. The bits don’t work so well when you get past 70.”
As King Charles and Queen Camilla prepare for their visit to Vatican City, their meetings with Pope Leo XIV and the continued warmth of their relationship with the Catholic Church highlight a crucial chapter in royal diplomacy and the bonds between nations.
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