Wed Apr 09 19:39:00 UTC 2025: ## Royal Couple Meets Pope Francis in Surprise Vatican Visit
**Vatican City, April 10, 2025** – King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Britain had a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday, April 9th, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican confirmed. The meeting, which was not previously announced, occurred during the royal couple’s state visit to Italy.
The visit was initially planned as a formal state visit but was postponed after Pope Francis was prescribed two months of rest following a serious bout of double pneumonia. Despite his recent illness, the Pope met privately with the King and Queen, offering his well wishes on their 20th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated on the same day.
Buckingham Palace expressed the royal couple’s delight at the Pope’s improved health and the opportunity to convey their anniversary greetings in person. The meeting holds historical significance, given that King Charles heads the Church of England, which separated from the Catholic Church in 1534. This was the third meeting between Pope Francis and King Charles, following previous encounters in 2017 and 2019. The late Queen Elizabeth II previously visited Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2014.
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