King Charles and Queen Camilla's historic state visit to Italy WILL go ahead next month - despite fears over the Pope's health

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The King and Queen still plan to go ahead with next month’s State Visits to the Holy See and Italy despite continuing fears over the Pope’s health.

Giving further details of the visit, Buckingham Palace said the ‘significant and historic’ trip would take place from April 7-10, celebrating warm UK-Italian bilateral relations generally but also a major development in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

Indeed, the King will be given the rare honour of a special ecumenical service in the iconic Sistine Chapel, featuring choirs from both the Holy See and Royal chapels in the UK.

He will also become the first British monarch since the Reformation - which saw Britain formally break from Rome under Henry VIII in 1534 - to visit the Papal Basilica of ‘St Paul’s Outside the Walls’, said to be the resting place of Paul the Apostle.

Earlier this week the Vatican issued the first photograph of Pope Francis since he was admitted to hospital a month ago, where he has been treated for double pneumonia and other infections.

The 88-year-old has also suffered several respiratory crises, giving rise to fears he would not survive.

His condition now is said to be stable.

A senior palace aide said yesterday that matters looked ‘more positive’ and shared ‘our hopes and prayers that Pope Francis’s health will enable to visit to go ahead.’

King Charles and Queen Camilla (pictured on Commonwealth Day earlier this month) will go ahead with their visit to the Holy See and Italy in April despite fears over the Pope's health

Pope Francis (pictured) was admitted to hospital a month ago, where he has been treated for double pneumonia and other infections

It is understood that King Charles personally wrote to Pope Francis when he was first taken ill.

Sources confirmed that ‘subject to Pope Francis’ health’ the visit would go ahead as proposed, although it was understood that officials were ready to ‘modify’ plans should his ability to participate be affected.

‘It will be a truly historic visit, reflecting that mutual respect between Pope Francis and His Majesty as Head of State, as well as the deep friendship between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church,’ a royal aide added.

The visit to the Holy See comes in a special year for the Catholic Church - the 2025 Jubilee - which is celebrated every 25 years, involving reconciliation, prayer and pilgrimage.

On April 8, their Majesties are hoping to have an audience with Pope Francis personally, as well as attending the Sistine Chapel service which will reflect on their shared long-standing commitment to nature and sustainability.

In an historic first, His Majesty - as Supreme Governor of the Church of England - will also visit St Paul’s Outside the Walls’, which is recognised as the Papal Basilica where reconciliation, ecumenism and relationships across the Christian faith are celebrated.

It boasts special links with the British monarchy stretching back centuries, having been visited as far back as Ethleburt in 856 AD.

Queen Camilla will also meet with nuns from The International Union of Superiors General, who are working to promote female empowerment, through girls’ education programmes, improved access to healthcare, climate action and the prevention of sexual violence and human trafficking.

The King and Queen met Pope Francis in Vatican City on April 4, 2017

Pope Francis celebrates Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli hospital as he was pictured for the first time since news of his illness

Pope Francis speaks with then Prince Charles on the day of the canonisation of 19th-century British cardinal John Henry Newman at the Vatican October 13, 2019

The then Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2017

Charles and Camilla’s state visit to the Republic of Italy will see them visit Rome and Ravenna and feature several high-profile ceremonial events, including a glittering black tie state dinner at the Palazzo Quirinal.

The King will also be granted audiences with President Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni.

Charles will also become the first British monarch in history - and only the fourth foreign leader ever - to address a joint session of the Italian Parliament.

Several engagements will also highlight the close cooperation between the British and Italian military, particularly over Ukraine.

This relationship will be marked during the visit by a joint flypast over Rome by the Italian Air Force aerobatic team, ‘Frecce Tricolori’ and by the Royal Air Force acrobatic team, the Red Arrows.

In Ravenna, Their Majesties will attend a reception in the Town Hall, marking the 80th anniversary of the province’s liberation from Nazi occupation by Allied Forces, as well as visit Dante’s Tomb and the Bryon Musician - the poet lived in the city was was known as ‘the mad Englishman’.