April 10, 2025 | 08:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Francis met King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a private audience on Wednesday at the Vatican, during the royal couple's four-day state visit to Italy and on the occasion of their 20th wedding anniversary, the Vatican announced.
As reported by Arab News, this is the first meeting with a head of state since Pope Francis returned to the Vatican. He had been hospitalized for a life-threatening double pneumonia for five weeks.
Pope Francis had planned an audience with Charles, but the official state visit to the Vatican was postponed due to the Pope's health.
Pope Francis extended a new invitation for a private audience, but it depended on his health and was only confirmed on Wednesday morning. The midday audience with the king lasted about 20 minutes and included the exchange of personal gifts. Discussions continued about King Charles's upcoming visit to the Vatican.
A statement from the Vatican said the Pope extended his congratulations on the wedding anniversary to Charles and Camilla, and in return, the king and queen expressed their wishes for the Pope's speedy recovery.
Buckingham Palace said, "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."
The royal couple had previously met with Pope Francis during their visit to the Vatican in April 2017. King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales, also met Pope Francis at the canonization of Saint John Henry Newman in 2019.
Pope Francis had been recovering at the Vatican since March 23 and appeared before the Catholic faithful in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
He was wheeled to the altar in a wheelchair, wearing a nasal tubes for supplemental oxygen, and offered greetings to the congregation. He was then greeted by the participants, some of whom bent down to kiss his hand.
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