Pope Francis Meets King Charles III, Queen Camilla at the Vatican

King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday, as part of their four-day state visit to Italy, coinciding with their 20th wedding anniversary, Al Jazeera reports.

The meeting marked the Pope’s first known engagement since returning to the Vatican following a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia.

The meeting had been rearranged after an earlier official visit was postponed due to the Pope’s health. A private audience was set up, contingent on the Pope’s well-being, and was confirmed only on Wednesday morning. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and involved an exchange of gifts.

A statement from the Vatican said Pope Francis extended anniversary wishes to Charles and Camilla, while the royal couple wished the Pope a swift recovery.

Buckingham Palace released a statement saying “their majesties were delighted the pope was well enough to host them, and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person’.”

Pope Francis, who has been recuperating at the Vatican since March 23, recently appeared in St Peter’s Square, where he was seen in a wheelchair, wearing nasal tubes for supplemental oxygen, and greeting attendees.

King Charles’ visit to Italy marks his first overseas trip this year, following his own hospital stay for managing side effects of cancer treatment.

Earlier on Wednesday, King Charles became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the Italian parliament, where he emphasized the strong ties between the UK and Italy. He also addressed the urgent need to tackle climate change, recalling warnings he gave 16 years ago in Italy, noting that the predictions are “depressingly being borne out by events”.

Prior to the parliamentary address, Charles held a private meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of Italy’s right-wing government, at the Villa Doria Pamphili.

Following his meeting with Meloni, King Charles visited the Testaccio neighborhood in Rome, where he met with drama students at a converted slaughterhouse-turned-cultural center, who performed a scene from Shakespeare’s Othello in Italian. While a small crowd of curious residents gathered outside, their reactions were largely muted.