Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Pope at the Vatican

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla prayed with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday in an historic visit to the Vatican to forge closer relations between the Church of England and the Catholic Church.

A Swiss Guard standing to attention as Britain's King Charles lll and Queen Camilla arrive at Vatican City. Met by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza before receiving military honours. They are then escorted by the Swiss Guard inside the Apostolic Palace, where the royal couple attended a service at the Sistine Chapel, arriving before Pope Leo XIV who came with the UK's Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell.

This is the first time since the Reformation that the heads of these two major Christian churches - Charles is the titular head of the Church of England - have prayed together.

The two churches have been divided over issues for centuries since King Henry Vlll split from the Catholic church in 1534 when he was refused a divorce.

Now the issues involve the ordination of female priests.

Later the royal couple traveled to a pontifical basilica that has strong, traditional ties to the Church of England - St. Paul's Outside the Walls, to receive a new formal recognition.

The title "Royal Confrater" is a sign of spiritual fellowship and was reciprocated by Charles.

This as Charles gave Leo the title of "Papal Confrater of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle."

The British royals then went out to the streets of Rome to meet the people Charles and Camilla's visit to the Vatican had been planned for early this year, but was rescheduled

after Pope Francis got sick and then died.

Charles had strongly wanted to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year, a once-every-quarter-century celebration of Christianity.