King Charles made a heartfelt call for unity and peace during a historic address to both houses of Italy’s parliament. He warned that “peace is never to be taken for granted”. The four-day state visit ended on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking in Rome, the King referred to the upcoming anniversary of the end of the Second World War. “Today, sadly, the echoes of those times – which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history – reverberate across our continent,” he said.
“Our younger generations can now see in the news every day on their smartphones and tablets that peace is never to be taken for granted,” he continued, adding that Britain and Italy remain “united in defence of the democratic values we share.”
In a speech that lasted more than 22 minutes and included several passages in Italian, King Charles highlighted the friendship between the two countries. “We are two peoples, and two nations, whose stories are deeply intertwined – including, of course, with that of our European continent,” he said.
“Ours a collection of windswept islands, yours a sun-drenched peninsula. Different in so many ways. But we have found, I believe, over the years that those differences complement each other rather well.”
He concluded with a nod to his ongoing role as monarch. “I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King.”
The speech marked the first time a British monarch has addressed both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. King Charles maintained his composure even as a standing ovation and an enthusiastic speaker of the house nearly cut him off. He joked that he was “almost finished.”
Surprise visit to the Vatican
On Wednesday, the King and Queen made an unannounced visit to Pope Francis. The visit coincided with the royal couple’s 20th wedding anniversary.
The Vatican said the meeting was private and warm, with the Pope offering his good wishes for the couple’s anniversary. In turn, he received the King’s own well wishes for his continued recovery.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been recovering after being hospitalised for five weeks this year. King Charles has also been undergoing treatment for cancer since last year. A royal source said the visit had been arranged at short notice and depended on the Pope’s health that morning.
A ‘romantic’ state banquet
Marking their wedding anniversary, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a state banquet at Rome’s Quirinale Palace on Wednesday night.
The King opened his toast with a touch of humour, telling Italian President Sergio Mattarella, “I must say it really is very good of you, Mr President, to lay on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two…”
Literary and historical tributes in Ravenna
The final day of the state visit took on a cultural tone, with the royal couple travelling to Ravenna. There, they visited the tomb of Dante Alighieri. Later, Queen Camilla toured the Byron Museum, exploring the Romantic poet’s ties to Italy.
The couple also attended a food festival in Piazza del Popolo. There they met local producers and farmers in a celebration of regional Italian cuisine.
During a visit to Ravenna’s town hall, King Charles joined a commemoration of Canadian troops’ role in liberating the region during World War II.
The four-day state visit served as both a diplomatic reaffirmation of Anglo-Italian ties. It was also a personal milestone for the royal couple, offering moments of reflection, warmth, and cultural celebration.
