History is set to be made next week at the Vatican, as King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Pope Leo XIV come together in a joint act of prayer — the first between a British monarch and the Pope since the Church of England broke away from Rome in 1534.
The historic ceremony will take place in the Sistine Chapel, beneath Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling, during the King and Queen Camilla’s official visit to the Vatican. The service will focus on the protection of nature, reflecting King Charles’s lifelong commitment to environmental causes.
The event will bring together clerics and choirs from both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, symbolizing a rare moment of unity after nearly five centuries of religious separation.
While previous meetings between British monarchs and Popes have taken place — Queen Elizabeth II met four different Popes during her reign, including Pope Francis in 2014 — none included a shared public prayer.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are also expected to visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a site with deep historical ties to the English crown. Anglo-Saxon rulers such as Offa and Æthelwulf supported the preservation of the Apostle Paul’s tomb within the papal basilica as early as the 9th century.
This week’s encounter is being hailed by observers as a gesture of reconciliation and spiritual bridge-building, marking a new chapter in the centuries-old relationship between the Vatican and the Anglican Church.
