King Charles has been praised by a Catholic charity for his historic visit to the Vatican today. The King, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, became the first British monarch since the Reformation to pray at a public service with the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, during an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.
Earlier, Charles and Queen Camilla were greeted by Pope Leo XIV in his official residence, the Apostolic Palace. It was the first time the King had met the Pope since his election in May.
Now, the head of a Catholic charity has praised the King’s visit to the Vatican today, and said it showed a “moment of unity”.
The state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, is understood to be deeply significant for the King personally.
Christine Allen, director of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), who is at the Vatican today, said: “This moment of unity comes during a Catholic Jubilee year, a time where the church invites everyone to reflect on their faith and strengthen their commitment to others.
“In this Jubilee year of hope, we need to do more to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. Both King Charles III and Pope Leo XVI have spoken powerfully on protecting the natural world, as we grapple with increasing temperatures and rising sea levels.
“In the next few weeks world leaders will come together for the COP30 climate summit. Many of the countries hardest hit by global warming are also saddled with unfair debts. Money that could be spent on investing in vital climate infrastructure is spent on repaying private creditors.
“Removing these kinds of injustice will move us towards the vision that Pope Leo XIV recently set out – whereby we tackle the root causes of poverty and protect our global home.”
The two-day state visit to the Holy See celebrates the Papal Jubilee, which is held every 25 years.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the focus on the King’s brother, Prince Andrew, continues with the Prime Minister saying there should be “proper scrutiny” of his rent-free mansion in response to calls for a parliamentary inquiry.
Pressure is mounting on Andrew after he attempted to draw a line under years of controversy, following allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, by giving up his dukedom and other honours last week ahead of the publication of Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.
Andrew strenuously denies the allegations.