Pope Leo to receive King Charles and Queen Camilla

The Royal couple during their 2024 visit to Rome

Source: Vatican Media, Buckingham Palace

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make an official State visit to the Vatican next 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 12pm 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 2.45pm, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."