King Charles III and Queen Camilla have postponed their anticipated visit on April 8 to the Vatican after medical advice really helpful that Pope Francis take an prolonged period of rest, and mutual agreement between the British Royal Household and the Holy See.
The state visit was to mark a historic moment within the ecumenical “relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England,” in response to a palace statement.
A press release from the Royal Family posted on their official X account confirmed the event: “The King and Queen’s State Visit to The Holy See has been postponed by mutual agreement, as medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would profit from an prolonged period of rest and recuperation. Their Majesties send The Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and stay up for visiting him in The Holy See, once he has recovered.”
Doctors caring for the 88-year-old pontiff have advised a minimum of two months’ rest, noting that his condition stays fragile following his hospitalisation in February resulting from a severe bronchial infection.
His only public appearance since then revealed a visibly weakened, though upbeat, Pope.
The King and Queen had planned their visit along with the Jubilee yr – a period of spiritual renewal, forgiveness, and reconciliation inside the Catholic church.
The itinerary featured a landmark visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a site once closely related to English monarchs before the Reformation.
King Charles was set to grow to be the primary reigning English sovereign to return in a spirit of reconciliation, joining the symbolic gathering place for Christian unity and interfaith dialogue.
Although King Charles and Pope Francis previously met during Charles’ time as Prince of Wales in 2017 and 2019, this visit was set to be their first encounter since his ascension to the throne.
The King, who’s himself undergoing treatment for cancer, has long been a vocal supporter of interfaith dialogue and environmental advocacy – values he shares with the Pope and are actually widely thought to be forward-thinking.
Among the anticipated highlights of the trip was a joint service within the Sistine Chapel focused on “take care of creation,” which spotlights the leaders’ value within the shared role of mankind in safeguarding the environment, particularly the worldwide battle against climate change.
The Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, was scheduled to perform alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir on the Sistine Chapel and St Paul’s Outside the Walls, in what would have been an unprecedented musical collaboration.
A gathering between the King and Commonwealth seminarians was also on the agenda.
Queen Camilla had also planned to satisfy with members of The International Union of Superiors General, who’re Catholic sisters working across global communities on causes she actively champions, which include advancing girls’ education, tackling human trafficking and sexual violence, and enhancing access to healthcare.
Though the Vatican leg of the trip is now on hold, the Royal Couple remains to be expected to proceed with engagements in Italy, celebrating cultural and diplomatic ties between the 2 nations.
The King will take part in a Clean Energy Supply Chains roundtable and meet with farmers in Ravenna impacted by recent climate-driven disasters in Ravenna.
The itinerary in Ravenna also included a visit to the tomb of Dante Alighieri, and the Queen’s attendance at a literary reception linked to her charitable foundation, The Queen’s Reading Room.
Both Buckingham Palace and the Vatican have expressed hope that the visit will probably be rescheduled once Pope Francis is fully recovered.
