King Charles and Queen Camilla’s upcoming State Visit to Italy, scheduled from April 7th to April 10th, 2025, will be particularly meaningful as it coincides with their 20th wedding anniversary
on April 9th.
The four-day tour will take them to Rome and Ravenna, highlighting cultural, diplomatic, and environmental initiatives. A key moment of the visit will be their meeting with Pope Francis at the Holy See, marking one of the Pontiff’s first major public appearances following his recovery from double pneumonia. Their Majesties will also attend a special service at the Sistine Chapel, emphasizing their shared commitment to environmental conservation.
Food and agriculture will also be central themes of the visit, with a special focus on the renowned produce of the Emilia-Romagna region. Ahead of their journey, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a “slow food and slow fashion” evening at Highgrove, with actor and food enthusiast Stanley Tucci curating the menu.
A historic milestone will be reached during the visit when King Charles becomes the first British Monarch to address a joint session of the Italian Parliament, strengthening ties between the UK and Italy.
Amid their diplomatic engagements, the royal couple will take a moment to celebrate their anniversary. Their wedding, held on April 9th, 2005, at the Guildhall in Windsor, was followed by a blessing at St. George’s Chapel. Interestingly, their visit to Rome serves as a reminder of an unexpected event tied to their wedding—originally planned for April 8th, the ceremony was postponed by a day due to Charles’ need to attend Pope John Paul II’s funeral at the Vatican.
This State Visit not only reinforces the deep historical and diplomatic ties between Britain and Italy but also provides a fittingly grand setting for King Charles and Queen Camilla to mark two decades of marriage. Photo by Mark Tantrum, Wikimedia commons.