King and Queen meet Pope at the Vatican - as he wishes them happy anniversary
It is understood Wednesday's private audience - which included an exchange of gifts - was subject to the Pope's health and only confirmed earlier in the morning.聽
Wednesday 9 April 2025 21:30, UK
A photo of the King and Queen during their private meeting with the Pope at the Vatican on Wednesday has been released.
Buckingham Palace said Charles and Camilla were "delighted" the pontiff was "well enough to host them - and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person".
A picture post on the Royal Family X account said they were "deeply touched by The Pope's kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary".
A statement from the Vatican said Francis shared "his best wishes" with the couple as they marked their marriage milestone.
It added he also "reciprocated his wishes to His Majesty for a speedy recovery of his health".
The King and Queen's state visit to Italy had been due to include an official stop at the Vatican, but this was postponed after the Pope's recent five-week stay in hospital, where he battled a life-threatening bout of double pneumonia.
It is understood Wednesday's private audience - which included an exchange of gifts - was subject to the Pope's health and only confirmed earlier in the morning.
The 20-minute meeting is said to have taken place after the King and Queen returned from parliament, where Charles delivered a historic speech - partially in Italian.
Discussions about the royals making their official state visit to the Holy See are ongoing, it is understood.
The Pope, 88, appeared before cheering crowds at the Vatican over the weekend - his first official appearance since he was released from hospital a fortnight ago.
Francis, in a wheelchair, entered St Peter's Square on Sunday at the end of the celebration of a mass for the Catholic Church's jubilee year.
He waved to the crowds before wishing them a "happy Sunday", speaking in a frail voice while receiving oxygen via a nasal cannula.
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The King and Queen are on the penultimate day of their four-day trip to Italy, seen as part of an ongoing effort for the UK to strengthen ties with European allies.
In his 22-minute address to both houses of the Italian parliament, Charles said he was there "to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King".
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Charles also held a private meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and watch a Shakespeare performance delivered in Italian.
Meanwhile, the Queen squeezed in a stop at an ice cream shop and met with students at a local school, who presented her with cards to mark her 20th wedding anniversary.
Charles and Camilla attendws a state banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome on Wednesday evening.