Charles and Camilla mark 20th in Italy

King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary during a significant state visit to Italy, attending a state banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella at Rome's Quirinale Palace. The royal couple's four-day diplomatic mission included several notable engagements across the country.

In a historic first, King Charles became the first British monarch to address the Italian Parliament, delivering portions of his speech in Italian. His address emphasized the enduring relationship between the United Kingdom and Italy, particularly highlighting their joint support for Ukraine and collaboration on defense initiatives, including the Global Combat Air Programme with Japan.

Among their diplomatic activities, the King and Queen met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and toured iconic landmarks including the Colosseum. Queen Camilla marked their anniversary celebration by wearing a reimagined version of her original wedding gown to the state banquet.

A particularly meaningful moment came when the royal couple had an unannounced private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. This meeting replaced a previously scheduled formal state visit to the Vatican, which had been postponed after doctors prescribed the pontiff two months of rest following a serious bout of double pneumonia. During their brief encounter, the Pope offered his best wishes for the couple's wedding anniversary.

Buckingham Palace expressed that Charles and Camilla "were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them - and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person." This marked the third meeting between Charles and Pope Francis, following previous encounters in 2017 and 2019, before Charles ascended to the throne.

The visit concluded with the couple traveling to Ravenna before returning to the United Kingdom, capping a trip that reinforced diplomatic ties while coinciding with their personal milestone.