King Charles prays with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, first British monarch in 500 years to do so, with Queen Camilla. Photo: X.
King Charles has made history by becoming the first British monarch in five centuries to pray publicly alongside a Pope as the King and Queen Camilla arrived at the Vatican for a day of significant ceremonial events. The royal couple attended a service at the Sistine Chapel, where they were seen with heads bowed during prayers.
The ceremony began with the Lord’s Prayer in English, accompanied by cardinals in their traditional, colorful vestments lining the grand chapel.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper delivered the first reading, reciting a verse from St Paul’s Letter to the Romans. The service concluded with a prayer led by Pope Leo XIV, who began, “God our father, you have created the heavens and Earth.”
After the service, King Charles and Pope Leo departed together, while Queen Camilla stayed behind to meet the chapel’s choir.
Earlier in the day, King Charles and Queen Camilla held a private audience with the Pope in his library. Charles appeared visibly moved during their meeting, warmly shaking the pontiff’s hand and saying:
“Your Holiness, it’s such a pleasure to meet you, if I may say so.”
Queen Camilla, wearing a Philip Treacy mantilla, added, “Lovely to be here.”
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As part of the historic visit, King Charles presented Pope Leo with an icon of St Edward the Confessor, the 11th-century King of England. Describing it as a “small token,” Charles offered the gift as a mark of respect. In return, Pope Leo presented the King with a scaled mosaic of Christ from a Norman cathedral in Cefalù, Sicily.
The Church of England separated from the Catholic Church in the 16th century, making this public act of worship particularly historic. While members of the royal family have visited the Vatican before, none have participated in public prayers alongside a pontiff.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit coincides with the papal jubilee, a celebration traditionally held every 25 years.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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