King Charles III and Queen Camilla marked their 20th wedding anniversary in a special way on Wednesday by meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican during their state visit to Italy.
The meeting took place at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope’s residence, where he is still recovering from recent health issues. The 20-minute meeting was described as private and warm, with the Pope congratulating the royal couple on their anniversary.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the King and Queen said they were “delighted the Pope was well enough to host them – and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person.”
The Royal Family’s official X account also posted a photo of the visit with the caption: “Che occasione speciale”, which means “What a special occasion” in Italian.
According to the Vatican, the Pope is getting better and also sent his best wishes to the King, who is being treated for cancer.
There was also an exchange of gifts between the Pope and the royal couple, though the items were not made public.
After meeting the Pope, King Charles and Queen Camilla spent the evening at a state banquet in Rome, hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The King jokingly thanked the president for the dinner, saying:
“It really is very good of you, Mr President, to lay on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two…”
Over 150 guests attended the banquet, including popular opera singer Andrea Bocelli, celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli, hotelier Rocco Forte, and the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Earlier that day, the Queen wore the same ivory silk dress she wore to her 2005 civil wedding, designed by Anna Valentine, to celebrate their anniversary again in style.
During his state banquet speech, the King praised the long-standing friendship between Britain and Italy and also added a touch of humour.
“I have never asked that question, made famous by Monty Python, ‘What have the Romans ever done for us?’” he joked.
“We see their imprint on what they knew as Britannia every day – from London to Carmarthen, from York to Hadrian’s Wall.”
He later got serious, warning that “we are living in a very precarious and fragile world”, calling for strong friendships and shared values, especially in times of conflict like the war in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, King Charles became the first UK monarch to address both houses of the Italian Parliament, where he received a standing ovation. He encouraged both countries to stay united in defending democratic values, peace, and military partnerships.
“Our younger generations can see on their smartphones and tablets that peace is never to be taken for granted,” he said.
The King also spoke a few lines in Italian and reminded lawmakers of the history between Britain and Italy, dating back to the ancient Romans.
Queen Camilla also visited a school in Rome, where she was warmly welcomed by students and even received a pizza in a takeaway box.
The royal couple’s visit has been well received by the Italian public, with crowds cheering “Carlo!” during public appearances, including at the Colosseum.
To celebrate their wedding anniversary, the Royal Family’s social media page shared a video of palace guards playing the classic hit “It Must Be Love” by Madness — a fitting tribute to the royal pair.
