King Charles and Camilla on an official visit to Italy in April. They will visit the Pope for the Jubilee and Ravenna.

King Charles and the Queen on a State Visit to Italy and the Holy See for the Jubilee of 2025

In April 2025, King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake a state visit of great significance, which will take them to both the Holy See and Italy. The announcement was made by Buckingham Palace, with an official statement specifying that the royals will join Pope Francis to celebrate the Jubilee 2025, an event traditionally celebrated every 25 years by the Catholic Church.

A year of hope and common journey

The visit to the Holy See will take place during the Jubilee Year 2025, a special occasion for all Catholic faithful, which is embodied in the spiritual journey of the “Pilgrims of Hope”. The Jubilee is an event that has its roots in the centuries, and is a sign of renewal and reflection. The King and Queen, during their visit, will participate in significant events together with Pope Francis, further strengthening the bond between the British Monarchy and the Catholic Church.

An art and culture itinerary between Rome and Ravenna

In addition to the stop at the Holy See, the visit to Italy will include official engagements in Rome and Ravenna, cities that symbolically represent the strong bond between Italy and the United Kingdom. In particular, the choice to include Ravenna in the program could be motivated by the royal couple's interest in art, a love that unites them. The city of Romagna, famous for its mosaics, represents an extraordinary artistic heritage that has attracted visitors and enthusiasts for centuries. It is not difficult to imagine that the King and Queen will visit the famous World Heritage sites, such as the Basilica of San Vitale, the Basilica of Sant'Apollonia in Classe, and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, admiring the unique beauty of the mosaic works that have made Ravenna famous throughout the world.

The History of British Royals with the Holy See and Italy

The visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the Holy See and Italy is the latest in a long tradition of royal visits to these places, which dates back decades. King Charles, as the Prince of Wales, has visited the Holy See on five occasions: in 1985, in 2005 for the funeral of Pope John Paul II, in 2009, in 2017 and in 2019, when he attended the canonization of Cardinal John Henry Newman, while the Queen, as the Duchess of Cornwall, accompanied her husband on two of these visits in 2009 and 2017. The King has also been received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 and by Pope Francis in 2017 and 2019.

Queen Elizabeth II, mother of King Charles, has also visited the Holy See and Italy several times. These royal trips have had great symbolic value, both for the political and spiritual relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See, but also for the shared values ​​of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The Role of Italy in the International Relations of the Monarchy

As for visits to Italy, King Charles has already officially visited Italy seventeen times, with the first visit in 1984 and the last in 2021 on the occasion of the G20 summit in Rome. Again, Queen Camilla has taken part in some of these visits, such as in 2009 and 2017, and has always played a central role in strengthening the dialogue between the United Kingdom and Italy.

Queen Elizabeth II has made four visits to Italy, always accompanied by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. One of the most significant stops was in 2000, when she participated in the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, an event that further strengthened the ties between the two countries.

State visit 2025 expected

The state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla is eagerly awaited, not only for its historical and cultural significance, but also for the strong bond that unites the United Kingdom to Italy and the Catholic Church. During the trip, the royals will have the opportunity to meet with high-level Italian and Vatican authorities, further strengthening bilateral relations, which have always been characterized by a solid and deep understanding.

It will undoubtedly be an unmissable occasion to celebrate the friendship between the two nations, as well as a special moment for all Catholics in the run-up to the Jubilee of 2025. Further details on the official schedule of the visit will be released soon, but the start of April 2025 will mark an important date in the history of international relations between the United Kingdom, Italy and the Holy See.