King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome with a rare private audience with Pope Francis and a grand state banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
The meeting with Pope Francis, held at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on Wednesday afternoon, came on the third day of the royal couple’s state visit to Italy. The King and Queen expressed their delight that the pontiff was well enough to meet them, calling it a meaningful moment as they marked two decades of marriage. The Pope, recovering from recent health issues, reciprocated the King’s well wishes for a swift recovery from his own cancer treatment side effects. The 20-minute audience, described as warm and personal, also involved an exchange of private gifts.
The meeting had originally been planned for a previous visit, but was postponed due to the Pope’s ill health. A still image of the historic moment is expected to be released on Thursday.
Later that evening, the royal couple attended a state banquet at the Quirinale Palace in Rome. In a speech laced with humour and diplomacy, King Charles thanked President Mattarella for what he jokingly described as a “small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two.” The guest list of 150 included opera legend Andrea Bocelli, celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli, and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Queen Camilla marked the special day by wearing the ivory silk dress she wore at their civil wedding ceremony in 2005, repurposed by designer Anna Valentine.
Earlier, King Charles made history as the first British monarch to address both houses of the Italian Parliament, receiving a standing ovation. His speech, partly delivered in Italian, emphasized centuries of cultural ties and the shared commitment to defending democracy, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The visit has been warmly received by Italians, with crowds greeting the royal couple near historic landmarks like the Colosseum. The Royal Family’s official X account commemorated the anniversary with a video of guards playing Madness’s classic hit It Must Be Love, highlighting a day steeped in history, celebration, and international unity.
