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King Charles and Queen Camilla Begin Historic State Visit to Italy

The royal couple's four-day trip includes a historic address to the Italian Parliament, a celebration of UK-Italy ties, and their 20th wedding anniversary.

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King Charles III, left, looks up as he waits to read the king's speech, as Queen Camilla sits beside him during the state opening of Parliament in the House of Lords in London on July 17, 2024.
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Overview

  • King Charles III will become the first British monarch to address a joint session of the Italian Parliament during the visit.
  • The visit underscores the strengthening of UK-Italy relations, including defense cooperation marked by a joint flypast of the RAF's Red Arrows and Italy's Frecce Tricolori.
  • A planned meeting with Pope Francis was postponed due to the pontiff's recovery from double pneumonia.
  • The state visit coincides with the couple's 20th wedding anniversary, which will be celebrated at a state banquet in Rome on April 9.
  • King Charles, recently recovering from a brief hospitalization related to cancer treatment, has resumed his duties and is leading the engagements in Rome and Ravenna.