King Charles III became the first head of the Church of England on Thursday to pray publicly with a pope in a Vatican service led by Leo XIV.

The ceremony in the Sistine Chapel, broadcast live by the Vatican's official news service, came during a state visit by the 76-year-old monarch and his wife Queen Camilla.

It was the first time a reigning English or British monarch has prayed publicly with a pope since English king Henry VIII broke with Rome 500 years ago.

Triggered by the then pope's refusal to annul Henry's marriage so he could marry another woman, the schism made the monarch head of the separate Church of England.

Charles and Camilla earlier had their first meeting with Pope Leo, who took over as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics in May following the death of Pope Fran

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