In a meaningful encounter at the Vatican, Pope Francis met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday, April 9, offering mutual well wishes and recognizing a deeply significant day for the royal couple.
According to the Holy See Press Office, “the pope met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, this afternoon.” The brief meeting took place at the pope’s residence, Casa Santa Marta, and offered a moment of mutual respect and shared prayer for health and blessings.
The Vatican noted that the Holy Father “had the opportunity to address a wish to Their Majesties on the occasion of the anniversary of their marriage,” and that Pope Francis “reciprocated to His Majesty the wish for a speedy recovery of his health.” Both leaders have faced health concerns in recent months—King Charles with a cancer diagnosis, and Pope Francis recovering from a serious lung infection and other ailments that required a monthlong hospital stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
The meeting came on a date described by Vatican News as “particularly significant,” marking the 20th wedding anniversary of King Charles and Queen Camilla, and the fourth anniversary of the passing of the king’s father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The meeting had originally been planned for a previous royal visit to Rome. However, Buckingham Palace had to postpone the visit last month at the advice of the pope’s medical team due to the Holy Father’s extended hospital stay. The Vatican confirmed in February that the royal couple’s itinerary included a visit with the Holy Father.
This gathering represents not only a diplomatic moment but a spiritual one as well—an opportunity for the Bishop of Rome and the head of the Church of England to meet in peace and goodwill. It continues a tradition of respectful contact between the British monarchy and the papacy. Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s late mother, met five popes during her historic reign before her death on September 8, 2022, after which Charles ascended to the throne.
As both leaders continue their journeys of healing and service, their meeting serves as a quiet testament to the shared values of prayer, perseverance, and public duty.
