After a series of official meetings and an address to Parliament in joint session, King Charles and Queen Camilla, during the third day of their visit to Rome, were also received by Pope Francis in a surprise meeting. The Vatican released a photo of the royals warmly shaking hands with the Pontiff.
The meeting, originally scheduled at the start of their visit to the capital, had initially been postponed to safeguard the health of the Holy Father, who is undergoing a lengthy recovery following his hospitalization for double pneumonia. However, it was later rescheduled.
During the encounter, the Pope offered his congratulations to the royal couple on their wedding anniversary and, in return, the King wished him a swift recovery. Highlights from the trip to Italy were shared on the Royal Family’s official X account, where the private meeting with the Pope was described as “a special occasion.” The post read that, “The King and Queen were deeply touched by the Pope’s kind words on the occasion of their twentieth wedding anniversary.”
The royal visit to Rome concluded with a State Dinner at the Quirinale Palace, hosted by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. During the toast in honor of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the Royal Pipers performed. The bagpipers and drummers are part of the British Royal Household. The role of “Piper to the Sovereign” — traditionally known as the King’s or Queen’s Piper — involves playing the bagpipes at the Sovereign’s request.
Images of King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s visit to Italy have also featured on the front pages of major British newspapers such as The Times and The Daily Telegraph, although they took a secondary position to coverage of Donald Trump’s trade tariff disputes. The Times highlighted a photo of the King sharing a cheerful conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while The Telegraph chose a more intimate image of the King and Queen sharing a moment of closeness on their twentieth wedding anniversary — a marriage that was once controversial but is now widely seen as enduring and strong.
Queen Camilla also reflected on the milestone when speaking to British reporters, remarking, “Twenty years… who can believe twenty years have already passed?” When asked about the “secret” behind her lasting bond with King Charles, she replied, “I’m not exactly sure; I suppose it’s really a kind of friendship: being able to laugh at the same things and simply enjoying life together.”
The royal visit to Italy concludes today with a tour of Ravenna and a visit to Dante Alighieri’s tomb, accompanied by the President of the Republic.
