King Charles and Queen Camilla carried out a four-day state visit to Italy earlier this week, a trip that aimed to strengthen ties between the two nations. The couple, who flew to Rome on April 7, concluded their stay in the Mediterranean nation on April 10 – the day after they celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
The trip also included a visit to the stunning city of Ravenna and one of its most beautiful churches, the Basilica San Vitale. Speaking to PEOPLE, Federico Marchetti – who is the founder of YOOX Net-a-Porter – said having the King, 76, visit his hometown “felt truly magical.” The 56-year-old also added that he was particularly moved by one thing he witnessed during the visit, telling the US publication: “What a joy it was to watch the King, amazed, appreciate the incredible mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale — mosaics he had surely read about in detail in the book Ravenna by Judith Herrin, which I gave him as a gift several years ago.
“In Ravenna, light becomes stone, and gold turns into storytelling,” the tech entrepreneur said. “Its mosaics, among the most fascinating in the world along with those of Istanbul, speak to those who know how to look at them.
“The King was truly enchanted by such spiritual beauty. I must admit, I was moved once again.”
Speaking further of the visit, and how the couple were received, he added: “The visit went very well, they were received with much affection, great enthusiasm, great passion from Italy.
“Certainly in Ravenna when they arrived, there was a roar, truly a triumphant welcome, I would say.”
YOOX Net-a-Porter is an organisation the monarch knows well, as the King’s Foundation has teamed up with it multiple times over the years to support trainee artisans.
During the trip to Italy, the King made history by becoming the first monarch to address the lower and higher chambers making up the Italian parliament.
He and Queen Camilla also met privately with Pope Francis, who congratulated them on their 20th wedding anniversary.
