King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Italy on Wednesday evening for a historic visit to the Vatican, putting a week of controversy over Prince Andrew’s royal title behind them.
The royal couple is scheduled to meet Pope Leo on Thursday, October 23, marking the first time a British monarch will publicly pray with a pope since King Henry VIII’s split from the Catholic Church nearly 500 years ago.
Their visit follows days of intense headlines after the King’s younger brother, Prince Andrew, announced he would no longer use his royal titles and honors amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The palace hopes the focus will now shift to the monarch’s diplomatic and spiritual outreach.
During the Vatican visit, King Charles is expected to receive a commemorative chair featuring his royal coat of arms, gifted by the Pope as a mark of respect.
The chair will be used by the King during a service at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls and then remain there permanently.
The trip marks Charles and Camilla’s second visit to Italy this year, following a brief meeting with Pope Francis in March.