Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday arrived at Vatican City to formally meet Pope Leo XIV as their state visit to the Holy See began in earnest.

Charles and Camilla’s state limousine swept through St Peter’s Square where crowds traditionally gather to see the pope and made their way to San Damaso Courtyard, the ceremonial entrance to the Apostolic Palace, the pontiff’s official residence.

Waiting to greet them was Reverend Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, regent of the prefecture of the papal household, and a guard of honour provided by the Vatican’s famous Swiss Guard.

Drawn from Swiss citizens who are Catholic, the guard has been providing protection for the head of the Catholic Church for centuries.

The royal couple stood as the national anthems of Britain and the Vatican City was played, they also met a group of Papal Gentlemen.

The state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, is understood to be deeply significant for the king personally and will celebrate the Papal Jubilee, held every 25 years.

Later, during an ecumenical service in the famous Sistine Chapel, the king, supreme governor of the Church of England, will become the first British monarch to pray at a public service with the pope, head of the Catholic Church, since the Reformation.

After the ceremonial welcome, the king and queen were led by Monsignor Sapienza into the Apostolic Palace to meet Pope Leo.

(dpa/NAN)