King Charles receives prestigious title by Pope Leo to mark powerful new era

King Charles and Pope Leo are marking the joining of hands between the Catholic Church and Church of England.

During his landmark first meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, the monarch was officially granted the title of Royal Confrater of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

The 76-year-old King and Queen Camilla, 78, arrived in Rome on Wednesday, October 22, to begin their two-day state visit, which focuses on Christian unity and environmental stewardship. The trip had originally been planned for the spring but was postponed following Pope Francis’s ill health.

Charles and Camilla began the day by joining Pope Leo for an ecumenical service at the Sistine Chapel, where they made history as the first British monarch and Pope to pray together publicly since the Reformation. The joint prayer was seen as a powerful gesture of reconciliation after 500 years of religious division.

Later, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the King received his new title. In return, Pope Leo accepted the honour of becoming Papal Confrater of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The royal couple’s visit marks a new chapter in relations between the Vatican and the British monarchy, underscoring the King’s long-standing commitment to fostering unity across faiths and cultures.