Live Reporting
Edited by Matt Spivey and Jamie Whitehead, with royal correspondents Sean Coughlan and Daniela Relph reporting from the Vatican
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The symbolism of the prayer is strikingpublished at 11:30 BST
Aleem Maqbool
Religion editorThe symbolism of a Pope and King praying together nearly 500 years after the Church of England’s split from Rome is striking.
So too is the gesture of recognising the role Anglo-Saxon rulers played in the upkeep of the beautiful Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.
But of course the relationship between the Church of which the King is supreme governor and the Vatican had already come a very long way since 1534.
The two Churches work together on numerous global projects and issues.
The late Pope Francis and former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby even travelled together to South Sudan to try to encourage peace.
As a prince, with a profound interest in faith, King Charles has visited Popes at the Vatican before.
Pope Francis in return was known to have a great deal of respect for the late Queen Elizabeth.
So while the images from the Vatican today will be historic, the groundwork for these moments has been laid over decades and indeed centuries of coming together.
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First prayers between King and Pope beginpublished at 11:29 BST
Breaking
Image source, AFPThe historic prayers – the first between an Anglican King and a pope – begins with the Lord’s Prayer.
The prayer is said in English.
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Pope Leo arrives in Sistine Chapel – in picturespublished at 11:26 BST
Image source, AFP
Image source, AFP
Image source, AFP -
King and Queen take their seats in Sistine Chapelpublished at 11:25 BST
The King and Queen are taking their seats in the Sistine Chapel ahead of the upcoming prayers.
They seem to be in deep conversation as the historic moment approaches.
Image source, VaticanMedia
Image source, AFP -
King Charles enters Sistine Chapelpublished at 11:18 BST
Breaking
King Charles III and the Queen have arrived at the Sistine Chapel ahead of prayers with Pope Leo.
Press Watch live at the top of this page to follow along with the latest from inside the chapel.
Image source, AFP
Image source, AFP -
Cameras are a ‘constant hazard’, King sayspublished at 11:15 BST
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Vatican
Image source, ReutersAs King Charles and Pope Leo met inside the Vatican, the King said about the cameras recording the historic event, they were a “constant hazard”.
Pope Leo said “you get used to it”, as he’s had to become accustomed to being such a public figure.
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Gifts exchanged between King and popepublished at 11:15 BST
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the VaticanThere are gifts being exchanged as part of this morning’s
meeting between Pope Leo and King Charles, which is taking place inside the
Vatican at the moment.The King is giving the Pope an icon of St Edward the
Confessor. The King is known to be very interested in icons, often associated
with the Orthodox Church.Edward the Confessor was a devout 11th Century King of
England.The King described the gift as a “small token” as
he gave it to the Pope.In return, Pope Leo is giving the King a scale version of a
mosaic showing an image of Christ that’s in a Norman cathedral in Cefalu, in
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The view from inside the Sistine Chapelpublished at 11:13 BST
Image source, Vatican NewsCardinals are assembling inside the Sistine Chapel ahead of prayers between King Charles III and Pope Leo.
Seats are filling up in the grand building, as Cardinals in a mix of colourful outfits are deep in conversation in the moments before the historic prayers.
Taking its name from Pope Sixtus IV, the Sistine Chapel is is the site of the Papal Conclave for the election of new a new Pope, the most recent of which took place in May of this year.
Image source, AFP
Image source, AFP -
Across the table – a meeting between royals and Pope Leopublished at 11:09 BST
The King and Queen sit opposite Pope Leo in the first meeting between the monarch and the American pope.
They will soon be holding prayers together – the first time an Anglican King has prayed with a pope – stay with us for the latest updates.
As a reminder, you can following along by clicking Watch live at the top of the page.
Image source, Vatican Media/Reuters -
King Charles meets Pope Leo for first timepublished at 11:03 BST
Breaking
Image source, Vatican Media/ReutersWe’re now seeing the first pictures of King Charles meeting Pope Leo.
In the latest picture, the King and Queen can be seen standing on either side of the American pope.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Image source, Reuters -
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in the Vatican’s red-carpet line uppublished at 11:01 BST
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Vatican
Image source, PA MediaIn the red carpet line-up at the Vatican was the Foreign
Secretary Yvette Cooper, dressed in black.Later she’ll be giving a reading from the Bible during the
service in the Sistine Chapel.Appropriately for the location, it will be from a Letter to
the Romans.That was written by St Paul, whose tomb the King will visit
this afternoon.State visits are carried out on behalf of the government, so
the Foreign Office is a key part of organising such events. -
The Sistine Chapel – a spectacular settingpublished at 10:51 BST
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Vatican
Image source, Getty ImagesThere can’t be any more spectacular setting than the Sistine Chapel for the service where the King and Pope will pray.
The chapel has the remarkable ceiling painted by Michelangelo. The painting of the Last Judgment will be looming above them.
For anyone who enjoyed the movie Conclave this year, this is where the voting for a new pope really takes place. It’s art to concentrate the mind.
The music sung by the choirs at the service will include a piece by Thomas Tallis, the 16th Century English Catholic composer.
The Sistine Chapel Choir is a reminder of the sheer ancientness of the place. The choir has roots that go back to the 4th Century, making it among the oldest choirs in the world.
It should be an important moment for the King, with his love of art and music, and who has worked for many years to build links between different faiths.
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The King’s arrival – in picturespublished at 10:37 BST
Image caption, The first images we saw were of the King’s motorcade approaching the Vatican
Image source, ReutersImage caption, The King and Queen were seated together as they made their way to Vatican City
Image source, EPAImage caption, The King stepped out of the car, greeted by the Swiss Guards who were on ceremony for his arrival
Image source, ReutersImage caption, The King shakes hands with Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, who met him as he stepped out of the car
Image source, ReutersImage caption, The UK’s National Anthem played out as the King and Queen made their entrance
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockImage caption, The Queen, in a black veil with a flowered fascinator shakes hands with Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, as the King takes a look at his surroundings
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Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo?published at 10:23 BST
Image source, ReutersImage caption, Pope Leo meeting with members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre this morning
The King is set to meet Pope Leo shortly – but who is the new pope?
Robert Francis Prevost, 70, became the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter in May this year and is known as Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago, USA, he is of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent.
He received Peruvian citizenship in 2015 and reportedly refers to Peru as “my second homeland”. In 1985, he moved to Peru and spent many years there as a missionary.
Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome in 2023, and made him a cardinal.
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Watch: National anthem rings out as King and Queen arrivepublished at 10:09 BST
Media caption, The King and Queen stand as the British national anthem plays
As the royals arrived at the Vatican, the national anthem of the UK – God Save the King – rang out.
The King and Queen stood together as the finely dressed Swiss Guards lined up in ceremony.
The Swiss Guards is one of the oldest – and most prestigious – military forces in Europe. It’s made up of Roman Catholic Swiss citizens who have completed military training.
Along with ceremonial duties, they also form the Pope’s bodyguard.
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The Vatican – key locationspublished at 10:05 BST
The Vatican is surrounded by the Italian capital city Rome, and is a tiny fragment when compared with the extensive Papal States of central Italy.
Many imposing buildings are packed into its small area – including St Peter’s Basilica, a pilgrimage site. As well as the Apostolic Palace, which is the official residence of the Pope.
At the heart of the Vatican is St Peter’s Square – a large plaza where, today, people are awaiting the arrival of the King and Queen.
The Sistine Chapel – where Cardinals meet to vote – will today bring together clergy and choirs from both the Catholic Church and the Church of England – the latter of which the King is the supreme governor.
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King and Queen arrive at the Vaticanpublished at 09:56 BST
Breaking
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the VaticanKing Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived inside the Vatican to meet Pope Leo on this historic visit. The King in a blue suit, the Queen wearing a veil.
The King’s Royal Standard is flying above the pikes of the papal Swiss Guard.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images -
King’s motorcade approaches the Vaticanpublished at 09:51 BST
The motorcade carrying King Charles III is now approaching
the Vatican.A series of black cars escorting the King and Queen can be
seen making their way into Vatican City.We’re expecting to see the royals step out of the car in a
few minutes – stick with us.
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King and Queen set to arrive at the Vatican – watch and follow livepublished at 09:44 BST
In the next few minutes, we’re expecting King Charles and
Queen Camilla to arrive at the Vatican ahead of meeting Pope Leo.You’ll be able to see all the key moments in our live stream
above, just click Watch live at the top of this page. -
Red carpet rolled out for King’s arrivalpublished at 09:31 BST
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Vatican
The Swiss Guards, in their colourful uniforms, are in place inside the courtyard in the Vatican where the King and Pope Leo will soon meet for the first time.
A marching band is playing.
The red carpet is being fixed in position.
