King and Queen postpone state visit to Vatican as Pope recovers from recent illness

25 March 2025, 17:14 | Updated: 25 March 2025, 17:38

The King and Queen's state visit to the Vatican has been postponed because the Pope needs an "extended period of rest and recuperation", Buckingham Palace has announced.

Charles and Camilla were due to visit Pope Francis in the Holy See in just under two weeks' time.

Buckingham Palace said the tour was put on hold by mutual agreement after medical advice suggested Francis would benefit from extra time to recuperate.

Their state visit to Italy will still continue, but there will be some changes to the programme.

The news came after Pope Francis left hospital on Sunday, returning to the Vatican after surviving a five-week, life-threatening bout of pneumonia.

Buckingham Palace said: "The King and Queen's State Visit to The Holy See has been postponed by mutual agreement, as medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation.

"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."

The Palace had announced last week that the trip to the Vatican would go ahead despite the pontiff's continued illness.

The visit to the Vatican and Italy from April 7-10 was set to celebrate the papal jubilee and the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.