King Charles meets Italian president in pomp-filled state visit
Published: 04:04 PM,Apr 08,2025 | EDITED : 08:04 PM,Apr 08,2025
Italy's President Sergio Mattarella (L) and Britain's King Charles III inspect a Guard of Honour at the Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome. — AFP
ROME: King Charles III watched a colourful flypast with Italy's president on Tuesday and laid a wreath for fallen soldiers on the first full day of his state visit with Queen Camilla, just days after his latest health scare. The four-day trip comes less than a fortnight after Charles, 76, was briefly admitted to hospital after experiencing side effects from his cancer treatment.
The royals, who will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome, waved and smiled as they were driven through the streets of the capital to the 16th-century Quirinale Palace. Their car was accompanied by mounted presidential guards, who are required to be at least 190 centimetres tall. The royals were met at the palace by Italy's ceremonial president, Sergio Mattarella.
The palace band played the British and Italian national anthems before the royals watched a joint flypast by Italy's 'Frecce Tricolori' air force aerobatic team and Britain's 'Red Arrows'. The king — decked out in a blue pinstriped suit — and queen — who was wearing a blue silk crepe dress and coat with a diamond-and-sapphire brooch that was once Queen Victoria's — later visited the Colosseum.
Charles and Camilla laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altar of the Fatherland, a vast white marble monument crowned by a bronze statue of King Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of newly united Italy in the 19th century. His great-grandson was Umberto II, the last king of Italy, who went into exile after the country voted in 1946 to abolish the monarchy. French sightseer Philippe Heitzler, 64, stuck behind a security barrier during the visit, said he and his wife were fans of the British crown.
Charles has already made 17 official visits to Italy, though this is his first since becoming monarch following the 2022 death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He will meet Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and is set to become the first British monarch to address a joint sitting of the Italian parliament. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is also accompanying the royals.
The king and queen issued a photo taken in the gardens of the British ambassador's residence in Rome, where they are staying, to mark their 20th anniversary on Wednesday, which they will celebrate with a state banquet. The couple, who will also visit Ravenna during the trip, described Italy as 'such a special place -- and with such wonderful people!' in a message on social media. Charles announced he had cancer in February 2024, without specifying which kind, but began returning to work at the end of April. — AFP
The royals, who will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome, waved and smiled as they were driven through the streets of the capital to the 16th-century Quirinale Palace. Their car was accompanied by mounted presidential guards, who are required to be at least 190 centimetres tall. The royals were met at the palace by Italy's ceremonial president, Sergio Mattarella.
The palace band played the British and Italian national anthems before the royals watched a joint flypast by Italy's 'Frecce Tricolori' air force aerobatic team and Britain's 'Red Arrows'. The king — decked out in a blue pinstriped suit — and queen — who was wearing a blue silk crepe dress and coat with a diamond-and-sapphire brooch that was once Queen Victoria's — later visited the Colosseum.
Charles and Camilla laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altar of the Fatherland, a vast white marble monument crowned by a bronze statue of King Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of newly united Italy in the 19th century. His great-grandson was Umberto II, the last king of Italy, who went into exile after the country voted in 1946 to abolish the monarchy. French sightseer Philippe Heitzler, 64, stuck behind a security barrier during the visit, said he and his wife were fans of the British crown.
Charles has already made 17 official visits to Italy, though this is his first since becoming monarch following the 2022 death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He will meet Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and is set to become the first British monarch to address a joint sitting of the Italian parliament. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is also accompanying the royals.
The king and queen issued a photo taken in the gardens of the British ambassador's residence in Rome, where they are staying, to mark their 20th anniversary on Wednesday, which they will celebrate with a state banquet. The couple, who will also visit Ravenna during the trip, described Italy as 'such a special place -- and with such wonderful people!' in a message on social media. Charles announced he had cancer in February 2024, without specifying which kind, but began returning to work at the end of April. — AFP