King Charles III shrugs off health scare to begin Italy visit

LONDON: King Charles III arrives in Italy on Monday for a four-day visit where he will become the first UK monarch to address Italy´s joint parliament, but will not meet Pope Francis due to the pontiff´s health issues.

The trip comes 10 days after Charles, 76, had his own health scare, being admitted to hospital after experiencing temporary side effects from his cancer treatment.

Royal sources cited by the UK media said the king was “raring to go” on the trip, during which he will also celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary with wife Camilla.

Charles, who is the head of the Church of England, was scheduled to meet Pope Francis on Tuesday. But the 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church is recovering from life-threatening pneumonia at his Vatican home, where doctors say he will need at least two months of convalescence, forcing the king to reschedule his plans.

“Their Majesties send The Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in The Holy See, once he has recovered,” said the royal family´s official X account.

Francis made a surprise appearance Sunday as he mingled with crowds at the Vatican, two weeks after leaving hospital. Charles, who is making his first visit to Italy as king, will instead spread his Rome engagements over two days, allowing “the programme to breathe a bit”, according to a royal source.