King and Queen visit Pope Francis in private Vatican meeting
Charles and Camilla were due to hold a separate state visit to the Holy See, but it was cancelled after the Pope was admitted to hospital.
The King and Queen have met a convalescing Pope Francis at the Vatican during a private meeting where they shared their best wishes for his recovery.
Charles and Camilla spent part of Wednesday afternoon with the pontiff as he continues recuperating after receiving hospital treatment for double pneumonia.
The visit was broken by local media after the couple’s convoy was spotted leaving the Vatican.
Charles and Camilla, who are coming to the end of a four-day state visit to Italy, were due to hold a separate state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, but it was cancelled before the trip began to allow the Pope to recover from his illness.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla this afternoon had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican.
“Their Majesties were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them – and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person.”
Francis made his first public appearance since his illness on Sunday, when he appeared in St Peter’s Square in a wheelchair during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick following his discharge from hospital two weeks previously.
He wore nasal tubes to receive supplemental oxygen, which the Vatican said at the time is being gradually reduced.
It is understood the visit was confirmed on Wednesday morning and the pontiff had issued the invitation to Charles and Camilla for the private audience on the day the couple celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
The meeting lasted 20 minutes and likely took place in Francis’s private apartment and came after Charles reportedly said “I pray for the Pope”, during a reception on Tuesday for members of the British community at Villa Volkonsky, the residence of the Britain’s ambassador to Italy.
Details of the discussion between the Pope and his guests have not been released but it is understood the Pope wished the King and Queen a happy wedding anniversary.
Gifts were exchanged between the two parties who were joined by the King and Queen’s principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton and Camilla’s deputy private secretary Belinda Kim.
Charles last met Francis in 2019 when he was the Prince of Wales and travelled to the Vatican to attend the canonisation of St John Henry Newman.
A picture of the meeting is due to be released on Thursday morning before Charles and Camilla begin royal engagements on their final day of their four-day tour of Italy.
It is understood discussions are continuing about rescheduling the King’s visit to the Holy See which was due to celebrate the Papal Jubilee, held every 25 years.
The visit came after the King warned peace is “never to be taken for granted” during a historic address to Italy’s parliament.
Charles also paid tribute to the close ties between the two nations and said “Italy will always be in my heart” with Camilla sitting a few metres away wearing her wedding dress decorated with added embroidery.
