King Charles III and Queen Camilla (AFP or licensors)
Pope to receive King Charles and Queen Camilla at the
Vatican
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make a State visit
to the Vatican on 23 October 2025.
By Benedetta Capelli
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make an official
State visit to the Vatican on Thursday, October 23, where they will be received
by Pope Leo XIV. The visit, confirmed by both the Holy See and Buckingham
Palace, marks a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations and will focus
on two key themes: Christian unity and care for the environment.
As part of the day’s events, King Charles will also be
honoured with the title of Royal Confrater of Saint Paul at
the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, recognising the long-standing
ties between the British Crown and the Benedictine abbey attached to the
basilica.
At 12 pm local time, Pope Leo XIV will lead an ecumenical
prayer service for the care of creation in the Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, a
meeting will take place in the Sala Regia with individuals and organisations
dedicated to environmental protection. Later in the afternoon, at 2:45 pm, the
King and Queen will visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where
King Charles will be formally granted the title Royal Confrater of
Saint Paul.
Buckingham Palace has described the visit as “historic,”
aligning with the Jubilee Year theme Pilgrims of Hope, and
recognising the shared ecumenical efforts between the Catholic Church and the
Church of England.
A Visit Focused on Unity and the Environment
The two central themes of the Royal visit are Christian
unity and care for the planet. At a Vatican press briefing on 17 October,
Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian
Unity, outlined the ecumenical aspects, while Sister Alessandra Smerilli,
Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, spoke
about the ecological dimension.
Originally scheduled for April, the visit also coincides
with the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s environmental encyclical Laudato
Si’. King Charles - who, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, has
long been committed to interfaith engagement - specifically requested to take
part in a liturgy focused on creation care. That service will be led jointly by
Pope Leo XIV and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, in the Sistine
Chapel.
A Hymn Bridging Traditions
The ecumenical tone of the visit will be reflected in the
liturgy, which will include a hymn by Saint Ambrose of Milan - sung in an
English translation by Saint John Henry Newman. Newman, a key figure in
Anglican-Catholic relations, was Anglican for much of his life before becoming
Catholic. He was canonised in 2019, an event King Charles attended personally. On
1 November, Pope Leo will declare Newman a Doctor of the Church during a major
ceremony attended by a high-ranking Anglican delegation.
Music will be provided by the Sistine Chapel Choir,
alongside choristers from the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace and the Choir
of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
A Special Honour for the King
In the afternoon, the Royals will travel to the Basilica of
Saint Paul Outside the Walls, which maintains historical ties with the British
Crown and its adjacent Benedictine Abbey. Notably, the Abbey’s coat of arms
includes the insignia of the Order of the Garter - one of Britain’s most
prestigious honours.
To mark the occasion, King Charles will be formally
named Royal Confrater of Saint Paul by Cardinal James Michael
Harvey and Abbot Donato Ogliari, with the approval of Pope Leo XIV. “It is a
sign of honour and spiritual communion,” said Archbishop Pace.
A specially designed chair bearing King Charles’s coat of
arms and the Latin inscription Ut unum sint ("That they
may be one" – John 17:21) will be used during the ceremony. The chair will
remain in the Basilica’s apse and will be available for use by the King and his
successors on future visits.
Shared Stewardship of the Planet
Following the ecumenical prayer service, Pope Leo and King
Charles will participate in a private meeting in the Sala Regia with Church
leaders, business figures, environmental advocates, and UN experts.
Representatives from the Laudato Si’ Movement will also attend.
“This meeting underscores the strong relationship between
the Catholic and Anglican Churches on environmental issues,” said Sister
Smerilli. “Pope Francis often reminds us that everything is connected, and that
environmental and social crises must be addressed together. Pope Leo has
continued this approach with further action.”
She highlighted recent initiatives such as the July 9
celebration of the new Missa pro custodia creationis (Mass for
the Protection of Creation) and the upcoming inauguration of the Borgo
Laudato Si’ on September 5, 2025. Sister Smerilli also praised the
King’s efforts to bring the private sector on board in the fight against
climate change and biodiversity loss.
Looking Ahead
Both Archbishop Pace and Sister Smerilli emphasised the
long-term significance of this visit. "It marks a historic moment in the
journey of reconciliation between our Churches,” said Archbishop Pace. “It
celebrates how far we’ve come-and offers hope for the future.”
Sister Smerilli agreed, calling it a powerful symbol of
unity and shared responsibility for the environment: “These are themes that
matter more than ever-for the generations to come.”
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