King Charles arrives in Rome on first overseas trip since brief hospitalisation

King Charles arrived in Rome on Monday for a state visit to Italy on his first overseas trip since being briefly hospitalised for the side effects of cancer treatment.

Charles is traveling with Queen Camilla on the four-day visit, which includes the first address to the Italian Parliament of a British monarch.

The visit will also see him meet with the Italian president and prime minister and include a trip to Ravenna to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Adriatic city’s liberation by Allied forces.

In Rome, Charles is expected to highlight the close links between Britain and Italy, two NATO allies, at a time when European nations are working to bolster support for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion.

A planned meeting with Pope Francis was postponed by mutual agreement due to the pontiff’s recent bout of double pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pope returned to the Vatican two weeks ago, and made a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.

76-year-old King Charles was briefly hospitalised on 27 March due to “temporary side effects” from the treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer diagnosed more than a year ago.

The king appeared the next day, waving to well-wishers in central London, and has since resumed his scheduled engagements.