British Royal Couple Meets Italian President Mattarella

The British monarch, King Charles III, along with Queen Camilla, commenced their four-day state visit to Italy by meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome. The meeting took place on Tuesday morning, where the royal couple was received with military honors.

Escorted by 32 members of the President's Cavalry Regiment, known as the 'Corazzieri', the royal couple was welcomed at the Quirinal Palace. From the terrace, they observed an aerial display by the 'Frecce Tricolori', the official aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force. Following this, King Charles and Queen Camilla, who arrived in Rome the previous day, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located at Piazza Venezia, accompanied by President Mattarella.

The day's itinerary included a visit to the iconic Colosseum, where they were guided by Italy's Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. In the afternoon, a meeting was scheduled with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, marking an important diplomatic engagement.

On Wednesday, King Charles is expected to address a joint session of both chambers of the Italian Parliament, making him the first British monarch to do so. However, a previously planned meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican has been canceled due to the Pope's health issues following a serious bout with pneumonia. King Charles III has also faced health challenges, having publicly disclosed his battle with cancer in February 2024. Recent treatment side effects necessitated a brief hospitalization and a temporary withdrawal from his royal duties.

On Thursday, the royal couple plans to visit Ravenna, a historic city along the Adriatic coast, where they will pay respects at the tomb of Dante Alighieri, Italy's revered national poet. Dante, best known for his literary masterpiece 'The Divine Comedy', is often referred to as the 'father' of the Italian language.