VATICAN CITY — The Vatican released a photo on Thursday showing Pope Francis meeting with King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their official visit to Italy, a meeting that had not been expected due to the pope’s fragile health.
Originally, Buckingham Palace had canceled the meeting because of Pope Francis’ recent health struggles. The 88-year-old pontiff is still recovering from a serious case of double pneumonia that kept him in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for five weeks.
This marked the first time King Charles — the head of the Church of England — and Pope Francis had met since Charles took the throne in September 2022.
The Vatican and the palace both shared that the pope congratulated the royal couple on their 20th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated on the same day of the visit.
The 20-minute private audience also included mutual expressions of concern and support for each other’s health. “Their majesties were delighted the Pope was well enough to host them — and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
King Charles, 76, has been dealing with an undisclosed form of cancer for over a year. He was recently hospitalized due to complications from his treatment but returned to public duties on April 1.
Pope Francis, meanwhile, has been recuperating since returning to the Vatican on March 23. Despite doctors advising two months of rest, he made a surprise appearance last Sunday in St. Peter’s Square following Mass.
The Vatican also noted that Francis’ voice and mobility have been improving, offering hope that he may still participate in the upcoming Easter celebrations.
