Historic Vatican Prayer: Pope Leo XIV and King Charles Pray Together for First Time Since 1534 Schism

King Charles arrived at the Vatican today for a two-day official visit, accompanied by Queen Camilla, for his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV since his election last May.

Read: Charles and Camilla at the Vatican for a historic ceremony and first meeting with the Pope – What the Royal Confrater title means

The Swiss Guard attended the reception ceremony for the royal couple at San Damaso courtyard, while the British anthem “God Save the King” played. The 76-year-old monarch, who is also head of the Church of England, participated in a particularly historic moment of ecumenism, praying together with the Pope in the Sistine Chapel, marking the first joint prayer between an English king and Catholic pontiff since the 1534 schism under Henry VIII. The ecumenical prayer for environmental protection lasted approximately 30 minutes and was co-celebrated by the Pope along with the Archbishop of York.

Camilla in black following papal protocol – Only 7 women worldwide can wear white when meeting the Pope

Queen Camilla was dressed in black, wearing a dress and veil, according to “il privilegio del bianco” (“the privilege of white”) – the little-known papal protocol that permits only seven women worldwide to wear white when meeting the Pope.

The “privilege of white” has been granted exclusively to 7 Catholic queens and princesses of Europe.

The only blue-bloods permitted to dress in white before the Pontiff are: Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Letizia of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and Princess Marina of Naples.

Additionally, the white privilege is held by two queens whose husbands no longer reign: Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Paola of Belgium.

For this reason, Queen Camilla wore a black dress for the meeting with the Pope, just as she did in April 2025 during the royal couple’s meeting with the late Pope Francis.