The United Kingdom’s King Charles II and Queen Camilla will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 8, Buckingham Palace announced Monday.
The press release made it clear that the pope is expected to be home from the hospital and back at work by then, and, in that sense, gave a more straightforward timeline for his release than his medical team.
“The news is surprising … but such an announcement would not have been made by Buckingham Palace without first having received confirmation from the Vatican that Pope Francis will be back in the Vatican by that date and able to receive them,” America magazine reported.
Pope Francis has been in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since Feb. 14. He was initially admitted with bronchitis but he’s now being treated for bilateral pneumonia, as the Deseret News previously reported.
On March 10, the pope’s care team announced that he’s no longer considered at imminent risk of death, but there’s been no news since then on when they expect to discharge him.
On Monday, the Holy See Press Office announced that the pope is gradually weaning off the use of high-flow oxygen therapy and that he’s been doing work in between periods of rest and prayer.
Pope’s relationship to the king and queen
Charles and Camilla’s state visit to Italy and the Vatican has been on their calendar since before Pope Francis was hospitalized, according to the BBC.
One of the goals of the trip is to build the symbolic links “between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which King Charles is the Supreme Governor,” the BBC reported.
The pope has met with Charles and Camilla before, but not since Charles ascended to the throne.
The two leaders are expected to discuss their shared commitment to environmental causes, among other topics. The visit will include an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel focused on the idea of caring for creation, per America magazine.