The King has made history by praying alongside Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first British monarch to do so since the Reformation. Charles sat alongside the Queen to the Pope’s left during an ecumenical service led by the Pontiff and the Archbishop of York, the most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, beneath Michaelangelo’s masterpiece on the ceiling of the magnificent Sistine Chapel. The King and the congregation joined in responses to prayers said by both faith leaders at the end of the service.
The Pope said: “God our father, you have created the heavens and Earth. You made us in your own image. Teach us to see your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children.” The monarch joined in the response: “Amen”.
Choirs from the Chapel Royal and St George’s Chapel, Windsor sang alongside the Choir of the Sistine Chapel, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper gave a reading from the Letter to the Romans by the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper.Â
Following the service, the Queen stayed on to meet members of the choirs, while the King joined the Pope in the Sala Regia, to meet representatives from climate organisations and private sector leaders who have been working with the monarch’s Sustainable Markets Initiative. Pope Leo and the King then exchanged gifts of orchids before re-joining the Queen for a formal farewell. The royal couple’s visit to the Holy See is to celebrate the 2025 Papal Jubilee and the warm ecumenical relationship between the Church of England, of which the King is Supreme Governor, and the Roman Catholic Church.
WATCH: Inside King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first meeting with Pope Leo XIV
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The couple arrived by car
The King and Queen were given a ceremonial welcome at the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican ahead of their historic first meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Their Majesties were driven into the San Damaso courtyard, where they were greeted by the Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, Reverend Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza and a group of Papal Gentlemen and the Gentleman of the Pope, Prince of Windisch-Gaetz, Mariano Hugo. Â
The Swiss Guard, Â who have been providing protection for the head of the Catholic Church for centuries, greeted the royal couple as they arrived in the courtyard.
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The King wore a blue suit, while the Queen was in black
A red carpet was rolled out for Their Majesties as they were welcomed by officials at San Damaso courtyard ahead of their meeting with Pope Leo IV.
The royal couple stood as the national anthems of Britain and the Vatican City were played. They also met a group of Papal Gentlemen.
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The Queen looked elegant in black
In a display of sartorial diplomacy. Camilla wore a black silk dress by Fiona Clare and traditional mantilla by Philip Treacy and a “raspberry pip” brooch in the shape of cross, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
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The Queen also wore pearls
A closer look at the rarely-seen “raspberry pip” brooch.
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The monarch and the pontiff shook hands
The King and Queen met Pope Leo XIV for the first time during an audience at the Apostolic Palace.Â
“Your Holiness, it’s such a pleasure to meet you, if I may say so,” said the monarch.
“Good morning, welcome,” said the Pope.
“Lovely to be here,” said Camilla.
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A historic photo of the King and Queen’s first meeting with the Pope
Posing for photographs, the King joked: “Constant hazard, the camera.”
“You get used to it,” replied Pope Leo.
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The parties exchanged gifts
The monarch told his host: “You are so kind to see us,” before presenting him with a silver-framed photograph of himself and the Queen, and an Icon of St Edward the Confessor, the 11th Century British King, who is patron saint of Kings and difficult marriages.
“It comes as a small token of my esteem and appreciation.”
In return, Pope Leo gave the King a scale version of the mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, located in the Norman Cathedral of Cefalu, Sicily.
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The King and Queen seated alongside the Pope inside the Sistine Chapel
The Pontiff led the prayer during the ecumenical service in the Vatican’s famous Sistine Chapel, likely to be seen as another milestone in the journey of the two churches.
It was the first time a British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, had prayed at a public service with the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, since the Reformation.
Charles and Camilla, making a two-day state visit to the Vatican, sat together a few metres from Pope Leo at the front of the congregation which featured ranks of cardinals.
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The couple seated during the service
The intervening centuries since Henry VIII broke with Rome to establish the Church of England in the 16th century had been marked by mutual distrust between the English state and the papacy.
But the ecumenical movement, a drive towards worldwide Christian unity which began early in the 20th century, has seen Anglicans and Roman Catholics working towards this goal of togetherness.
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Their Majesties depart
The King shook hands with the Pope during a formal farewell in the San Damaso Courtyard.
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At the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls
The King and Queen visited the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls to attend an  ecumenical service in recognition of His Majesty becoming ‘Royal Confrater’ of the Abbey of St Paul’s.
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An outfit change for Her Majesty
Camilla changed into a white Anna Valentine embroidered coat dress and wore a gold pendant necklace – a gift from her five grandchildren with their initials.