King Charles and Queen Camilla are visiting Italy and the Holy See this April!
A report from Vanity Fair reveals that Charles and Camilla are scheduled to make several special appearances during their special state visit.
Some of these appearances include: a visit to Dante's tomb, a ceremony honoring the 80th anniversary of Ravenna's liberation, and a special service in the Sistine Chapel. The latter signifies the Church of England and Catholic Church's significant strides in their own relationship.
And, of course, we all know King Charles and Queen Camilla can't spend time in Italy without making time for Pope Francis!
The royals' upcoming visit won't be their first time meeting with the Pope either, as they last saw him in 2019. However, this will be their majesties' first time seeing the Bishop of Rome since he fell ill in February.
A cherished opportunity to see the King and Pope connect
Vanity Fair states that Pope Francis has been hospitalized since February 14. Despite his advanced age (88) and precarious health, there have been no talks of Pope Francis resigning from his position this year or any other time in the future.
Unsurprisingly, the Pope's latest reminder of his mortality caused him to reflect on life's more serious matters. The clergyman's most recent remarks focused on the value of war and life's fragility makes fighting all the time seem so meaningless.
We tend to avoid the heavier topics on this blog, but it's telling when the top man in the Catholic Church starts talking about the uselessness of conflict when ... well, there's so much conflict.
On the bright side, it appears King Charles and Queen Camilla are doing their part to maintain a good relationship with the Vatican and anyone else who may need a helping hand.
Earlier this month, King Charles met with President Zelensky of Ukraine and Justin Trudeau, the former Prime Minister of Canada. The King of the United Kingdom lent both leaders his words of support as they continue to manage their own international issues.
Hopefully, King Charles and Queen Camilla's presence can lift Pope Francis' spirits and shine a bright light on the people of Italy as well. King Charles' busy schedule this month shows that his own health is improving. That's a great sign since the summer season is quickly approaching.
As always, we'll keep you updated on the King's next move and, more than likely, the biggest headlines related to his upcoming state visit. Until then, ciao!