King Charles and Queen Camilla had a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, where he wished them a happy 20th wedding anniversary.
Gatekeepers News reports that the meeting took place on the third day of their state visit to Italy.
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”.
According to the Vatican, the Pope “reciprocated” the King’s “best wishes for a speedy recovery of his health”, referencing the King’s recent cancer treatment.
After meeting the Pope, the royal couple attended a state banquet in Rome hosted by the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. The King joked about the romantic dinner, saying, “I must say it really is very good of you, Mr President, to lay on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two..,”
Earlier in the day, the King addressed both houses of the Italian Parliament, becoming the first UK monarch to do so. He received a standing ovation and called for the UK and Italy to stand united in defence of democratic values.
