King Charles met with Pope Francis less than two weeks before the pontiff's death. During His Majesty and Queen Camilla's state visit to Italy earlier this month, the royal couple privately reunited with the pope at Casa Santa Marta in Vatican City. The meeting on April 9, 2025, which wasn't their first, coincided with the King and Queen's 20th wedding anniversary.
"In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health," the Holy See Press Office later shared in a statement via Vatican News.
On social media, the royal family's accounts shared a picture from the meeting, writing, "Che occasione speciale! A special moment for Their Majesties as they privately met His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday. The King and Queen were deeply touched by The Pope’s kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary and honoured to be able to share their best wishes to him in person."
Their Majesties were due to have an audience with the pope during a state visit to the Holy See in April, which was postponed as medical advice suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation.
Charles first met the late pontiff — who became pope in 2013 — back in 2017. They also met in 2019. Twelve days after their final meeting, the King paid tribute to Pope Francis following news of his passing. "My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis," His Majesty wrote on April 21, 2025. "Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry."
Charles continued, "His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many."
The King also admitted that he and Camilla were "greatly moved to have been able" to recently see His Holiness. Charles penned, "The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month. We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ."