Buckingham Palace and the Vatican said Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla had an unannounced meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican during their state visit to Italy.
Charles and Camilla had been due to make a formal state visit to the Vatican but postponed their plans after doctors prescribed Francis two months of rest after the pontiff experienced a serious bout of double pneumonia.
In a statement, the Vatican said the pope met the royal couple privately and offered his best wishes on their 20th wedding anniversary. Charles and Camilla had celebrated their wedding anniversary on Wednesday.
The Buckingham Palace disclosed that Charles and Camilla were delighted that the Pope was well enough to host them and to have had the opportunity to express their best wishes in person.
Charles and Francis have reportedly met twice previously, in 2017 and 2019, before Charles became king.
