King Charles and Queen Camilla's Rome Trip Faces Doubt Amid Pope's Ill Health

King Charles wears a a tweed suit and carries an umbrella while Queen Camilla wears a blue suit with a feather-print — (Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to visit Italy in April, Buckingham Palace recently announced. However, the couple's trip is reportedly "in doubt" due to an official's concerning health issues.

"Their Majesties The King and Queen will undertake State Visits to the Holy See and the Republic of Italy in early April 2025," Buckingham Palace announced in February. "During Their Majesties' State visit to the Holy See, The King and Queen will join His Holiness Pope Francis in celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year. Traditionally held once every 25 years, the Jubilee is a special year for the Catholic Church; a year of walking together as 'Pilgrims of Hope.'"

Unfortunately, Charles and Camilla's trip is "in doubt" on account of Pope Francis's current health issues, the Mirror reported. Pope Francis has been in Gemelli Hospital in Rome since February 14 and has been diagnosed with double pneumonia. "He has had several setbacks in that time, including two episodes of respiratory failure...and he is in regular need of oxygen," the Mirror explained.

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Pope Francis wears white robes and waves at the crowd — Pope Francis has been in Gemelli Hospital in Rome since February 14.

In a statement released on March 8, the Vatican said that Pope Francis had shown a "good response" to his current treatment plan, and there had been a "gradual, slight improvement" in his condition, via Reuters. The Vatican also noted that Pope Francis's health remains "complex."

King Charles and Queen Camilla had been set to visit Rome and Ravenna during their trip to Italy. It's believed that the trip may coincide with the couple's 20th wedding anniversary, which takes place on April 9.

King Charles wearing a blue suit standing next to Queen Camilla, wearing a blue dress, in a garden outside — King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to visit Rome in April.

Meanwhile, King Charles is continuing to receive treatment following a cancer diagnosis in early 2024.

In September 2024, Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, revealed that Charles's "doctor says the treatment is going well," via the Express. King Charles shared his own health update in December 2024, during a visit to the London Borough of Walthamstow. When asked how he was, King Charles joked, "I'm still alive," via the Mirror.

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.