On Thursday, October 23, 2025, King Charles III became the first British monarch in nearly 500 years to publicly pray with a pope. The historic event took place in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, where Charles joined Pope Leo XIV for a service aimed at bridging centuries of religious division.
The 76-year-old monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, arrived in Rome, Italy, on Wednesday evening. They landed at Ciampino Airport and were welcomed by British Ambassador to the Holy See Christopher Trott. Their stay was at Villa Wolkonsky, the official residence of the British ambassador.
A state welcome was held Thursday morning at the Apostolic Palace, featuring a guard of honor by the Swiss Guard and renditions of both nations’ national anthems by a band. Queen Camilla wore a black lace mantilla as a sign of respect during their audience with the pope.
The meeting with Pope Leo XIV was the first since his election in May 2025. King Charles presented the pope with a large silver photograph and an icon of St. Edward the Confessor, an 11th-century English king. Pope Leo gifted a scale replica of the Christ Pantocrator mosaic from Sicily’s Norman Cathedral. Discussions between the two leaders, described as cordial, covered environmental protection and poverty alleviation. They also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, notable for being the first papal envoy in 500 years to attend a British coronation.
Under Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes, Charles and Pope Leo engaged in a 30-minute prayer service in the Sistine Chapel focused on environmental stewardship, a cause long championed by the king. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell joined Pope Leo in leading the service, with Charles positioned to the pope’s left near the altar on a golden throne. Their shared prayer symbolized reconciliation and spiritual renewal.
Music featured prominently in the service, with choirs from St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Chapel Royal performing alongside the Sistine Chapel choir. The British choirs performed “If ye love me” by Thomas Tallis, a 16th-century composer who remained Catholic despite the religious upheaval under King Henry VIII.
Following the chapel service, Charles and Camilla visited the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where the king was conferred the title of Royal Confrater of the Abbey of Saint Paul. They entered through the Holy Door, which opens every 25 years during a Jubilee Year. Cardinal James Michael Harvey spoke about the historical ties between the basilica and England, referencing a significant 1966 meeting between Pope Paul VI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, which marked the first official dialogue between the two churches since the Reformation.
The Royal Confrater title, endorsed by Pope Leo XIV, symbolizes hope and welcome, according to Cardinal Harvey. Charles sat on a specially crafted throne inscribed with “Ut unum sint” — “That they may be one” — which will remain in the basilica for future use. The basilica’s association with England’s monarchy dates back to Saxon kings who supported the upkeep of apostles’ tombs in Rome, a tradition that ceased with the Reformation.
In return, Charles bestowed two honors on Pope Leo: Papal Confrater of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. The pope also conferred the title of knight and dame of the Order of Pius IX on Charles and Camilla. The visit coincided with the 2025 Papal Jubilee, a tradition every 25 years for forgiveness and renewal. Charles was keen to visit the Vatican during this Holy Year.
The schism between Britain’s monarchy and the Catholic Church dates back to King Henry VIII in the 16th century. England separated from the Catholic Church in 1534 after the Vatican denied Henry’s request to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Henry subsequently established the Church of England, appointing himself as its supreme governor.
Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother, was the first British monarch since the Reformation to officially visit the Holy See, meeting Pope John XXIII in 1961. Elizabeth met four popes during her reign but never prayed publicly with any of them. Charles and Camilla’s visit, initially scheduled for April, was postponed due to Pope Francis’s illness. They proceeded with their Italy trip, privately visiting the ailing pontiff two weeks before his passing.
The visit aimed to demonstrate moral and spiritual leadership, although it occurred amid intense scrutiny regarding Prince Andrew’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The controversy intensified following the release of excerpts from a book by Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Days before the Vatican visit, Prince Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title, citing that ongoing accusations detract from the work of the king and royal family.
Despite historical tensions, the relationship between the Vatican and the British monarchy remains warm and respectful today. Church historian Diarmaid MacCulloch of the University of Oxford commented on the genuine significance of the Papacy’s formal favor toward Charles.
