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\nKing Charles and Queen Camilla pose for a photograph with the pontiff<\/p>\n
Britain’s King Charles III is meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican where he has become the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with a pontiff for five centuries.<\/p>\n
King Charles and Queen Camilla held private talks with the pontiff in the Apostolic Palace earlier this morning – his official residence – before joining an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.<\/p>\n
The 76-year-old monarch, who is supreme governor of the Church of England, arrived in Rome yesterday evening with his wife for what Buckingham Palace described as a “historic” state visit to the Holy See.<\/p>\n
It is the first meeting between the two men since Pope Leo became head of the Catholic Church in May, following the death of Pope Francis.<\/p>\n
The ecumenical service will be led by Pope Leo and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the senior cleric of the Church of England.<\/p>\n
\nKing Charles and Queen Camilla pose for a photograph with the pontiff<\/p>\n
Broadcast live by Vatican media, it is the first time that a reigning English or British monarch has prayed publicly with a pope since King Henry VIII broke with Rome in 1534 over its refusal to annul his marriage so that he could marry another woman.<\/p>\n
Today’s service, held beneath Michelangelo’s spectacular ceiling frescoes, is centred on conservation and protecting the environment, a cause championed by King Charles.<\/p>\n
It will bring together Catholic and Anglican traditions, with the choir of the Sistine Chapel joining with the choir of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, one of the monarch’s residences.<\/p>\n
King Charles and Queen Camilla are also set to take part in a service at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, one of four major papal basilicas, which has historic links with the English crown.<\/p>\n
He will be made a “royal confrater” of the basilica and presented with a specially-designed seat for use by him and future British monarchs.<\/p>\n
In centuries past, British monarchs provided for the upkeep of the tomb of St Paul at the basilica.<\/p>\n
The visit will end with King Charles attending a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, where priests are trained, and Queen Camilla will meet six nuns from the International Union of Superiors General.<\/p>\n
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\nKing Charles and Queen Camilla met Pope Francis, days before he died<\/p>\n
King Charles has visited the Vatican several times and met privately with Pope Francis on 9 April, days before he died.<\/p>\n
The monarch also met two of his predecessors – Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II.<\/p>\n
His son and heir, Prince William, attended the funeral and his brother, Prince Edward was at Pope Leo’s inauguration mass.<\/p>\n
The visit comes as the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee, a year-long event held every 25 years which has drawn millions of pilgrims to the Vatican.<\/p>\n