King Charles and Queen Camilla’s upcoming state visit to Italy and the Vatican will include a meeting with Pope Francis, despite his ongoing health concerns.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the royal trip, scheduled from the 7th to the 10th of April, will proceed as planned. Many Vatican observers interpret this as an indication that the Pope is expected to be discharged from the hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for the past month, in the coming weeks.
Back in February, it was announced that King Charles and Queen Camilla would travel to Rome in April and meet with the 88-year-old pontiff. However, just days later, Pope Francis was hospitalised due to a severe respiratory infection.
The royal visit is described by Buckingham Palace as a “historic visit” and a “significant step forward in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.” The Palace made this statement on Tuesday.
The UK and the Holy See have enjoyed full diplomatic relations since 1982. As Prince of Wales, Charles visited Vatican City five times.
The primary aim of the visit is to strengthen ties between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which King Charles is the Supreme Governor. Key events will include a meeting with the Pope, an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and a historic visit to the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, which symbolises the reconciliation between the two institutions.
The royal couple will also meet with Italy’s president and prime minister. King Charles will make history as the first UK monarch to address both houses of the Italian parliament. The visit will be highlighted by a joint flypast over Rome, featuring both the Italian Air Force and the Red Arrows. In Ravenna, the royals will visit Dante’s tomb and a museum dedicated to Lord Byron.
The visit will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the King and Queen’s marriage.
Although the Pope remains in a stable condition, he continues to require medical treatment, according to the Vatican press office. The statement on Monday revealed that Pope Francis is able to pray and perform a limited number of work duties.