King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to Italy in October

ing Charles and Queen Camilla will reportedly travel to Vatican City next month to meet Pope Leo XIV during a short but symbolic state visit, their first official engagement with the newly appointed pontiff.

The king and queen recently hosted US President Donald Trump in the UK for a historic second state visit. Now, they’re heading overseas, according to reports.

A two-day visit to Italy, set for October, will mark the couple’s first foreign trip this autumn. It comes after they met with the late Pope Francis in Italy in April.

At the time, King Charles and Camilla were on a four-day state visit to Italy. The couple had originally planned to stop at the Holy See.

Instead, they held a private audience with Pope Francis on April 9, their 20th wedding anniversary, just days before his death.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will reportedly travel to Italy to meet Pope Leo XIV next month (Credit: Cover Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla set to ‘visit’ Pope Leo XIV

According to The Sun, King Charles and Queen Camilla will meet the new Pope on a visit to Vatican City in Rome.

King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 78, have yet to officially meet Pope Leo in person. Therefore, their October visit will serve as both an introduction and a continuation of the diplomatic relationship between the Vatican and the British Crown.

The two-day trip will likely include meetings and a private audience with Pope Leo.

Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV sent a touching message of condolence to the royal family following the death of Katharine, Duchess of Kent. The duchess was the first senior royal to convert to Catholicism since the Act of Settlement. She did so in 1994.

During her funeral on September 16, the first Catholic funeral for a royal in modern history, Pope Leo’s message was read aloud.

“I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,” the message read. “I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to Your Majesty, the members of the royal family. Especially to her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.”

This trip to the Vatican is expected to be King Charles’ only international engagement of the autumn, amid his ongoing cancer treatment. The monarch has already hosted two major state visits in the UK this year, one from France and another from the United States.

The king and queen met with Pope Francis just before his passing in April (Credit: Cover Images)

King Charles’ visit with Pope Francis

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday (April 21) at the age of 88 after a lengthy battle with pneumonia in both his lungs.

During their private audience in April, Pope Francis is said to have blessed the marriage of Charles and Camilla.

This was a highly symbolic act, considering the Catholic Church’s stance on remarriage while a former spouse is still living.

The royal family’s Instagram commemorated the occasion with a message.

“A special moment for Their Majesties as they privately met His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday,” it read. “The King and Queen were deeply touched by the Pope’s kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary.”

Their conversation also reportedly included shared prayer.

Prince William stepped up to represent the royal family at Pope Francis’ funeral. After Pope Francis’ death, King Charles released a heartfelt statement.

“His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion,” the king wrote. “Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.”

Royal Insider has contacted reps for Buckingham Palace for comment.