Britain’s King Charles III has made history by becoming the first British monarch in nearly five centuries to pray alongside a pope.
The landmark event took place on Thursday, October 23, inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, where King Charles and Pope Leo XIV prayed together — the first such joint worship since King Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic Church in 1534.
Latin chants and English prayers filled the chapel, where Pope Leo XIV, the first-ever U.S. pope, was elected just six months ago. King Charles, who serves as the supreme governor of the Church of England, sat beside the pontiff near the altar as both leaders were joined by Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell. The service featured performances by the Sistine Chapel Choir and two royal choirs.
Although previous popes have met British monarchs — and even visited the United Kingdom — none of those encounters had included a moment of shared prayer.
The King and Queen Camilla are currently on a state visit to the Vatican aimed at strengthening ties between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church, five centuries after their historic division.
Rev. James Hawkey, canon theologian at Westminster Abbey, described the event as “a healing of history,” noting that such a moment “would have been impossible just a generation ago.”
The separation between the two churches dates back to 1534, when King Henry VIII split from Rome after Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. That schism led to centuries of religious turmoil and persecution across England.
Following the historic service, King Charles and Queen Camilla held a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Later in the day, the King was scheduled to visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome — one of Catholicism’s most revered churches — where he was honored with the title of “Royal Confrater,” meaning “brother,” by the abbey’s clergy.
