King Charles III and Queen Camilla have postponed their anticipated visit on April 8 to the Vatican after medical advice recommended that Pope Francis take an extended period of rest, and mutual agreement between the British Royal Household and the Holy See.
The state visit was to mark a historic moment in the ecumenical “relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England,” according to a palace statement.
A statement from the Royal Family posted on their official X account confirmed the development: “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 benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation. Their Majesties send The Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to 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 remains fragile following his hospitalisation in February due to 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 in conjunction with the Jubilee year - a period of spiritual renewal, forgiveness, and reconciliation within the Catholic church.
The itinerary featured a landmark visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a site once closely associated with English monarchs before the Reformation.
King Charles was set to become the first 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 is 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 now widely regarded as forward-thinking.
Among the anticipated highlights of the trip was a joint service in the Sistine Chapel focused on "care for creation,” which spotlights the leaders’ value in the shared role of mankind in safeguarding the environment, particularly the global battle against climate change.
The Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, was scheduled to perform alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir at the Sistine Chapel and St Paul’s Outside the Walls, in what would have been an unprecedented musical collaboration.
A meeting between the King and Commonwealth seminarians was also on the agenda.
Queen Camilla had also planned to meet with members of The International Union of Superiors General, who are 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 is still expected to proceed with engagements in Italy, celebrating cultural and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The King will participate 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 be rescheduled once Pope Francis is fully recovered.
