King Charles and Queen Camilla met Pope Leo XIV for the first time on Thursday morning during their state visit to the Holy See. The meeting marked a historic moment as it followed the new pope’s appointment in May after the death of Pope Francis.
Buckingham Palace released a statement confirming the meeting took place in the Apostolic Palace, officially beginning the couple’s state visit. “The King and Queen have met Pope Leo XIV (pontifex) in the Apostolic Palace, to begin their State Visit to the Holy See,” the statement read. “Their Majesties will undertake engagements with Pope Leo XIV in celebration of the 2025 Papal Jubilee. This will include a special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.”
The statement added that the royal couple would also visit the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls later in the day.
The visit carries special meaning for King Charles, as the Jubilee’s theme, Care for Creation, focuses on unity and environmental protection—a cause the King has long championed. Through his King’s Foundation, formerly known as the Prince’s Foundation, Charles has led multiple initiatives promoting sustainability and conservation.
This meeting also adds to a long list of papal audiences for the monarch. Over the years, he has met four popes, including Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, and the late Pope Francis, whom he saw just a week before his passing earlier this year. Pope Leo XIV now becomes the fourth pontiff to receive King Charles in an official capacity.
