First since the Reformation: Charles and Camilla pray in Vatican

King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited the Vatican on October 22 and 23, where the king held an audience with Pope Leo XIV and took part in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel. Buckingham Palace said the joint public act of worship marked the first time since the 16th century Reformation that a British sovereign, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, has prayed publicly alongside the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The couple arrived at the Apostolic Palace and were received in the San Damaso courtyard by the Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, and other Vatican officials. A Swiss Guard honour guard and the playing of both national anthems preceded private talks in the Apostolic Palace. The visit coincided with the Catholic Church’s preparations for the 2025 Jubilee year.

The ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, focused on the theme of Care for Creation, brought together clergy and choirs from both traditions. The Children of the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal and the Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, sang alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir. Buckingham Palace described the event as reflecting the...