King Charles and Queen Camilla have met privately with Pope Francis in the Vatican

Both men are battling serious health issues, but the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has received the head of the Church of England, King Charles III in a rare private meeting.

Pope Francis meets privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Vatican. Picture: Vatican Media

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The head of the Catholic Church looks directly and warmly into the eyes of the head of the Church of England, all the while shaking the hand of Queen Camilla.

This photo of a short private meeting on Wednesday afternoon (local time) between King Charles – or Re Carlo as the Italians call him – and Pope Francis conveys the fragility and strength of both men.

Francis was too unwell to host the couple in a state visit as part of the Royals’ four-day tour of Italy, but made way for a 20-minute off-diary chance to chat.

The 88-year-old Pontiff is still recovering from the severe double pneumonia that saw him hospitalised for five weeks fighting for his life in February and March.

Charles, 76, has had his own health battles too, having to cancel appointments just last week after ill effects of his ongoing cancer treatment and looks noticeably more tired than usual.

Charles and Camilla visited Francis, at his Vatican City home in Casa Santa Marta amid visits to the Colosseum and Forum and a state banquet which coincided with their 20th wedding anniversary.

The Vatican said in a statement that during the meeting the Pope expressed his best wishes to Charles and Camilla on their anniversary, while they wished for his “speedy recovery”.

Buckingham Palace said Charles and Camilla “were delighted the Pope was well enough to host them – and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person”.

Charles previously met the Pope back in 2019 when British cardinal John Henry Newman was proclaimed a saint and also in 2017 during a visit to the Vatican.