King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV are set to make history next week during the King and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the Vatican — a moment that will mark a new chapter in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

The royal couple will spend two days in the Holy City from October 22 to 23. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that “the visit will mark Their Majesties’ first meeting with Pope Leo XIV since his election in May 2025.”

The spokesperson added that the occasion “will also mark a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor,” reflecting ongoing efforts toward Christian unity and the Jubilee Year’s theme of “walking together as Pilgrims of Hope.”

A Historic Act of Prayer

The visit will include an unprecedented act of worship: King Charles and Pope Leo will pray together in an ecumenical service inside the Sistine Chapel — the first time a British monarch and pontiff have done so publicly since the Reformation, more than 500 years ago.

It will also mark the first occasion a reigning monarch has attended a service at St Paul’s Outside the Walls, a basilica with deep historic ties to the English Crown.

The moment is understood to hold deep personal meaning for the King, who will take part in the Papal Jubilee — a sacred period of forgiveness and reconciliation celebrated every 25 years by the Catholic Church.