King Charles and Queen Camilla will pay a state visit to Italy and the Holy See in early April and will meet Pope Francis to mark celebrations for 2025 Catholic Holy Year, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.
The trip will involve engagements in Rome and Ravenna, the Palace said, "celebrating the strong bilateral relationship between Italy and the United Kingdom".
It will be the 17th official visit by Charles to Italy and the first overseas trip for the British monarch this year as he continues to undergo treatment for cancer.
Full details of the trip have not yet been released by the palace, but British media reported that it would include a visit to the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and the timing would coincide with the 20th wedding anniversary of Charles and Camilla, who married on April 9, 2005.
Their wedding took place the day after the funeral of Pope John Paul II, which Charles attended as then heir to the throne.
Charles, who as British king is the supreme governor of the Church of England which split from Rome in 1534, has previously met Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, during visits to Italy in 2017 and 2019. In the past, he also met Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
His mother, Queen Elizabeth, also visited the Holy See in 2000 during the last Catholic Jubilee year.
Pope Francis' health was so precarious during his recent 38-day hospital stay that his doctors considered halting treatment at one point, allowing him to pass away peacefully, according to the head of his medical team.
After spending 38 days in hospital battling double pneumonia, Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday since February 14 and returned to the Vatican.
Pope Francis has welcomed the progress in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He described the steps taken toward peace in the South Caucasus as a "sign of hope" and emphasized that this process could serve as an example for resolving other conflicts.
Pope Francis appeared publicly for the first time in more than five weeks on Sunday, offering a brief wave from a balcony at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital before leaving the facility.
Pope Francis will be discharged from the hospital on Sunday after 38 days of treatment for life-threatening pneumonia. Doctors report steady recovery, though he will require two months of rest and rehabilitation.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres responds to discussions on a potential temporary administration in Ukraine, reaffirming the presence of a legitimate government and clarifying the UN’s role in mediation efforts.
Suicide bomber targets a political protest rally in Balochistan, Pakistan. No civilian casualties reported; the attacker was killed.
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A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
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Ramadan, a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection, is celebrated uniquely around the world. From vibrant lanterns in Egypt to communal feasts in Turkey, discover the diverse customs that make Ramadan a global celebration of faith.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres responds to discussions on a potential temporary administration in Ukraine, reaffirming the presence of a legitimate government and clarifying the UN’s role in mediation efforts.
Suicide bomber targets a political protest rally in Balochistan, Pakistan. No civilian casualties reported; the attacker was killed.
Ramadan, a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection, is celebrated uniquely around the world. From vibrant lanterns in Egypt to communal feasts in Turkey, discover the diverse customs that make Ramadan a global celebration of faith.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres responds to discussions on a potential temporary administration in Ukraine, reaffirming the presence of a legitimate government and clarifying the UN’s role in mediation efforts.
Suicide bomber targets a political protest rally in Balochistan, Pakistan. No civilian casualties reported; the attacker was killed.
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