Key Takeaways:

• King Charles and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Pope Francis during their state trip to Italy.
• The meeting celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary and marked Charles' first papal audience since becoming king.
• Pope Francis is recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia and had briefly left the hospital before the meeting.
• The royal couple expressed their delight at the pope's improved health during their private visit.

On April 9, 2025, King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Pope Francis at the Vatican during their four-day state visit to Italy. The meeting, which occurred on the royal couple's 20th wedding anniversary, was initially postponed due to the pope's health concerns after a severe case of double pneumonia that had kept him in the hospital for over five weeks.

As confirmed by both Buckingham Palace and the Vatican, the private meeting lasted approximately twenty minutes. The pope extended his congratulations to Charles and Camilla on their anniversary and reciprocated their well-wishes for health, highlighting the amiable relations between the monarch, who heads the Church of England, and the Catholic leader.Al Jazeera reported that Pope Francis, now 88, has been in recovery since returning to the Vatican on March 23.

Behind the scenes, their meeting symbolizes a long-standing bond despite the historical context of the Anglican Church's founding in the 16th century as a split from Catholicism. The two leaders share a common goal of promoting environmental sustainability, a topic close to both of their missions. Notably, Charles has consistently used his platform to advocate for climate action as does the pope through various encyclicals.

Pope Francis, recovering from health issues, has been slowly regaining his strength as indicated by a recent surprise public appearance. His health has raised questions about his participation in upcoming Easter celebrations, but his engagement with the British royals signals a positive turn in his recovery. During their visit, the royal couple expressed delight at the pope’s health improvements, according to statements from Buckingham Palace.

This visit forms part of a historic series of engagements as Charles leads the UK in strengthening ties with Italy in a time of global challenges, embracing a collaborative spirit between the nations.

For more information on this event, visit Channel News Asia.