King Charles makes surprise visit to Pope at Vatican

The Pope met the royal couple privately on Wednesday afternoon and offered his best wishes for their 20th wedding anniversary, which they were celebrating, said a Vatican statement.

Buckingham Palace said 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."

As British monarch, Charles heads the Church of England, which split from the Catholic Church in 1534.

Francis and Charles have met twice previously in 2017 and 2019, before Charles became king. The late Queen Elizabeth II visited Francis at the Vatican in 2014.