King Charles III and Queen Camilla Parker recently visited the Vatican to reunite with the late Pope Francis and strengthen their relationship with the Vatican. However, the King has made an unexpected decision regarding coming back anytime soon.
On May 12, Buckingham Palace issued a statement informing that the Monarch of the United Kingdom will not be present at the investiture of Pope Leo XIV. The event, which is scheduled for next Sunday, May 18, will also not have the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The reasons behind the unexpected decision remain a mystery. However, the Duke of Edinburgh, who will represent “His Majesty at the investiture of Pope Leo XIV.” Ultimately, King Charles III became the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.
However, King Charles III is not the first monarch to be absent from the event. It was the late Queen Elizabeth II who started this tradition of not attending this type of event. As an example, no member of the British Royal Family attended the funeral of Benedict XVI in January 2023.