Students and staff from the Venerable English College helped to welcome His Majesty The King to Rome as part of his recent State Visit to the Vatican.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were in Rome from 22 – 24 October for the first State Visit to the Vatican from a British monarch since the Reformation.

The visit included an ecumenical service at the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, attended by students and staff from the VEC, in which King Charles was made a ‘Royal Confrater’ and given stall in the Choir with his coat of arms and the Gospel inscription; “That they may be one”.

Afterwards, British and Commonwealth priests and seminarians took part in a reception at the Pontifical Beda College to welcome The King and celebrate the occasion. Some students of the VEC had the chance to meet His Majesty and talk briefly about priestly formation and life in Rome.

King Charles is no stranger to Rome or the VEC. He visited the College in 2019 when he was Prince of Wales for the canonisation of St John Henry Newman and wrote an article highlighting Newman’s contribution to Christian life.

The VEC is grateful to all who helped to make the State Visit possible, especially the Ambassador to the Holy See, Chris Trott, and his team at the Embassy.

A Royal Visit