King Charles III and Queen Camilla touched down in Rome on Monday for a four-day visit to Italy — their first official trip to the country since Charles became king in 2022.
The royal couple arrived at Ciampino military airport aboard the RAF’s VIP Voyager, which carried both the Royal Standard and Italian flag for the occasion.
Originally set to include a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Tuesday, the itinerary was adjusted due to the Pope’s precarious health owing to complications of bilateral pneumonia. The audience was postponed on medical advice following the pontiff’s recent 38-day hospital stay, which has limited his public appearances. Buckingham Palace said the King sent a personal letter to Francis expressing regret over the missed meeting and wishing him a full recovery.
Still, the trip remains packed with symbolism. On Tuesday, Charles will become the first British monarch to address a joint session of the Italian Parliament. He will also hold talks with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The royal couple will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Rome’s Altar of the Fatherland before attending a state banquet at the Quirinal Palace, hosted by Mattarella. The evening also marks the 20th anniversary of Charles and Camilla’s wedding.
On Wednesday, the royals head to Ravenna, where they will take part in a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the city’s liberation from Nazi occupation during World War II.
Charles, 76, is currently undergoing cancer treatment and was briefly hospitalized on March 27 due to side effects, but he resumed light public duties on March 31.
Charles announced his cancer diagnosis — which palace officials say is not prostate-related — in February 2024. At the time, he said he chose to go public to curb speculation and raise awareness. Since then, he’s kept a low-key but steady schedule of engagements.
