The King is said to be “greatly looking forward” to sharing what will be a historic moment praying alongside Pope Leo, after an arduous week of scandal for the Royal Family.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have landed in Rome for their second visit this year, but this time for a state visit to the Holy See and their first meeting with the new Pope.
It comes just days after the dramatic statement was released announcing that Prince Andrew was relinquishing the use of his honours and titles.
But as the royal couple stepped off the plane, a spokesperson for the King released a statement attempting to draw attention back to the religious importance of this visit.
The spokesperson said: “His Majesty is greatly looking forward to meeting Pope Leo and celebrating together the historical significance of this visit, representing, as it does, such a landmark in relationships between the Church of England and the Catholic Church, and between the UK and the Holy See.”
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Tomorrow, the King and Queen will meet the new pontiff Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace, his official residence, and then attend a special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.
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There, the King, who is also Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the Pope will publicly pray together during the service.
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It will be the first time an English monarch and the pontiff have joined together in this type of moment of reflection in the 500 years since the Reformation; in 1534, King Henry VIII declared himself as head of the Church of England, breaking from the papal authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
In another historic step, the King will also be made Royal Confrater of the Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls – one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas – and presented with a special seat decorated with the King’s Coat of Arms.
The ceremonial title is seen as a symbolic acknowledgement of his friendship towards the Roman Catholic Church and his commitment to interfaith dialogue.
With the King also carrying out the visit on behalf of the government, his spokesperson emphasised the wider importance of the trip, saying: “At times of such global challenge, it has seldom been more important for Christian communities around the world to unite in faith and in fellowship with our partners.
“This provides a bulwark against those promoting conflict, division and tyranny, and supports our work together in Harmony to protect Nature, God’s Creation. These are, of course, the issues that directly impact lives and livelihoods in Britain and around the globe, not just today but for generations to come.”
But the visit comes at a difficult time, with attention still focused on the allegations around Prince Andrew, and calls for further investigation into his titles and the rental arrangements for his home, Royal Lodge.
The prime minister faced questions over his position on the matter at PMQs, when he said he believed there should be “proper scrutiny” of the arrangements.
Buckingham Palace has been keen to stress this week that they are not ignoring the seriousness of the allegations that have been made against Prince Andrew. And even as he vehemently denies the claims, a source told Sky News that they should be examined in the “proper and fullest ways”.
But there has been a concerted effort to guide attention towards the historical and religious significance of the events that will take place over the next 24 hours, and as much as possible shut down the unwelcome distractions brought by his brother.
