Vatican readies for milestone as Charles III and Camilla witness Holy Year
King Charles and Queen Camilla (Photo: Getty Images)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will undertake a historic state visit to the Vatican at the end of October, reports CNN.
According to Buckingham Palace, Charles and Camilla will join Pope Leo XIV in celebrating the Jubilee Year of the Catholic Church, which occurs once every quarter-century. The visit is scheduled for late October 2025.
The event is intended to highlight the British royal family’s efforts to strengthen interfaith relations, a matter of particular significance in today’s global context.
For King Charles, this meeting seems a natural continuation of his lifelong commitment to faith and dialogue. Indeed, from the earliest days of his tenure as Prince of Wales, he spoke of his desire to be a protector of all beliefs, recognizing the diverse spiritual life of contemporary Britain.
“The visit will also celebrate the ecumenical work by the Church of England and the Catholic Church, reflecting the Jubilee year’s theme of walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’” Buckingham Palace stated.
The Catholic Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, was established in the 14th century by Pope Boniface VIII and lasts for 12 months, dedicated to forgiveness and reconciliation.
Earlier, the royal couple had planned a state visit to the Vatican in early April, but the trip was postponed due to health issues affecting Pope Francis. Instead, Charles and Camilla visited Rome and Ravenna in northeastern Italy.
A private meeting with Pope Francis took place on April 9 - just two weeks before the death of the first Latin American pontiff, who passed away from a stroke and heart failure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already met personally with the new Pope. After the talks, the head of state stated that the pontiff expressed his willingness to organize peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
