Overview

• Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen will undertake a state visit to the Holy See in late October, with exact dates and the full program to be announced.
• They will join Pope Leo XIV for 2025 Holy Year celebrations that focus on reconciliation under the “Pilgrims of Hope” theme.
• The visit reinstates an April engagement that was postponed due to Pope Francis’s poor health; the couple met him privately on April 9 before his death on April 21.
• Leo XIV, elected in May as the first pope from the United States with strong ties to Peru, has outlined priorities centered on peace, justice and truth.
• British media have reported the itinerary may include the Sistine Chapel, though the palace has not confirmed specific stops.