King Charles III and Queen Camilla have postponed their planned state visit to the Vatican in early April after Pope Francis was advised by doctors to rest, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday.
A statement from the palace read, “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 recovery and look forward to visiting him in The Holy See once he has recovered.”
The 88-year-old Catholic leader was recently discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome after battling pneumonia in both lungs. Since then, he has continued his recovery at the Santa Marta guesthouse, where he lives, undergoing breathing and speech therapy.
The Vatican confirmed that the pope has not received any visitors, except his closest aides, and no date has been set for his next public appearance.
King Charles, head of the Church of England, was originally scheduled to meet Pope Francis on April 8, marking his first visit to the Vatican as monarch. However, by mutual agreement with the Holy See, the visit has now been postponed.
Despite the change, the Italian leg of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit will still take place. They will meet with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.
Buckingham Palace also confirmed that King Charles will become the first British monarch to address a sitting of the Italian parliament during the visit.
King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, has gradually resumed his public duties and overseas trips since October.
The Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church have a long history of division, dating back to King Henry VIII’s split from Rome in the 16th century. However, in recent years, British monarchs have maintained good relations with the Vatican.
