Britain's royal couple meet Pope Francis at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Although they postponed their official state visit to the Vatican because of Pope Francis’ health, Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla met privately with the pope April 9, the Vatican press office said.

The pope congratulated the royal couple on the 20th anniversary of their wedding and “reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health,” the press office said.

King Charles was hospitalized briefly March 27 for what was described as “temporary side effects” from his cancer treatment. Pope Francis has been convalescing at the Vatican since being released from the hospital March 23 after more than five weeks of inpatient treatment for breathing difficulties, double pneumonia and a polymicrobial infection in his airways.

“Their Majesties were delighted the Pope was well enough to host them,” said a statement from Buckingham Palace, and they were pleased “to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person.”

The private meeting lasted about 20 minutes and included an exchange of gifts, a source said.

The Vatican press office had said April 8 that the pope was just beginning to receive a few visitors rather than spending his days only with his personal secretaries and the medical personnel caring for him.

The king and queen’s brief meeting with the pope April 9 was very different from the full schedule that had been planned for their state visit.

In addition to an audience with the pope, they would have attended “a service in the Sistine Chapel, focused on the theme of ‘care for creation,’ reflecting Pope Francis’ and his majesty’s long-standing commitment to nature,” according to the itinerary originally released by Buckingham Palace.

Members of the choir of the king’s Chapel Royal and the choir of St. George’s Chapel from Windsor were to sing at the service with the Sistine Chapel Choir.

While he was still the prince of Wales, the king last met Pope Francis in 2019 when he came to the Vatican for the canonization of St. John Henry Newman. His last private audience with Pope Francis was in 2017.

The state visit of the king and queen had been planned to coincide with the Holy Year 2025, “a year of reconciliation, prayer and walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’ which is the Jubilee’s theme,” Buckingham Palace said.

This story was update April 10 at 8:05 a.m.