King Charles and Queen Camilla have paid a surprise visit to Pope Francis during their four-day state visit to Italy.
Buckingham Palace and the Vatican announced the visit, which comes after the 88-year-old Pope Francis recovered from double pneumonia and weeks of bedrest.
It was a private visit from the royal duo, pared down from what was originally supposed to be a formal state affair before the Pope fell ill.
A Vatican statement confirmed that the he instead met the couple privately at the Casa Santa Marta on Wednesday, which happened to coincide with their 20th wedding anniversary.
In their own press release, Buckingham Palace said that the King and Queen "were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them — and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person".
The meeting was Charles' first with the Pope since he became King and head of the Church of England, back in 2022.
