Britains King Charles III is traveling to the Vatican for a landmark two-day state visit beginning Wednesday, during which he will become the first reigning British monarch in over 500 years to participate in a public prayer service with the leader of the Catholic Church.
The historic moment will occur Thursday when Charles and Pope Leo XIV lead an ecumenical service inside the Sistine Chapel, beneath Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes. The event marks the first such joint act of worship between a Supreme Governor of the Church of England and a Roman pontiff since the English Reformation under King Henry VIII in the 1530s.
Buckingham Palace described the occasion as “a significant step forward in Anglican-Catholic relations,” with the service centered on shared commitments to environmental stewardship—a lifelong passion of the king—and interfaith cooperation.
The royal couple, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will also attend a separate ecumenical liturgy at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. There, King Charles will be inducted as a “Royal Confrater” of the adjoining abbey, an honor that includes a permanent ceremonial seat reserved for future British monarchs.
Musical elements will blend traditions: the Sistine Chapel Choir will perform alongside singers from St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The visit follows Pope Leo XIV’s ascension in May after the death of Pope Francis and comes amid preparations for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee, expected to attract millions of pilgrims to Rome.
