Prince Charles visits Pope; quiet meeting belies lurid Times forecast

April 27, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI met briefly on April 27 with Britain's Prince Charles and his second wife, Camilla. After the meeting the Vatican issued a short statement saying that the Holy Father had spoken with the Prince of Wales "on certain questions of mutual interest" including environmental issues and inter-religious dialogue.

In advance of the meeting the London Times had caused some outrage with an inaccurate report that Prince Charles would present the Pontiff with a copy of the 1530 petition by English Catholic peers seeking the annulment of the marriage between King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Such a gift could have been perceived as a deliberate affront, especially in light of the fact that Prince Charles divorced his own wife, the late Princess Diana, and his current wife is also a divorcee. Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, wrote to the Times seeking an "immediate and unambiguous denial" of the sensational story. In fact, the Prince presented the Pope with a set of commemorative plates.

 

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Further information:

• Audience with Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall (VIS)
• Charles and Camilla meet the Pope (BBC)