King Charles will not attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV this weekend, with Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, stepping in to represent the monarch.
Following the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, a new pope was elected last week in a private conclave of cardinals. Pope Leo XIV, the newly chosen leader, is the first North American to head the Catholic Church. Last month, Prince William attended Pope Francis’ funeral on King Charles’ behalf.
This time, it will be Prince Edward representing the Crown at the papal inauguration, which is scheduled for May 18, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
King Charles, 76, has reportedly sent a private message congratulating Pope Leo XIV, 69, on his election, according to Buckingham Palace.
As for why the king won’t attend, the palace has not given an official reason, but royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams offered some insight.
He told Royal Insider, “The king would not attend as he is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and could not, so to speak, bow before the head of another faith, as he and Pope Leo represent rival religions. It seems to be a matter of choice.”
He added that it’s not unusual for a senior royal to attend on behalf of the monarch: “Prince William attended Pope Francis’ funeral and Charles, when Prince of Wales, attended Pope John Paul II’s, as British monarchs do not, with the rarest of exceptions, attend funerals abroad.”
Fitzwilliams also pointed out that this practice isn’t new. “The decision to send Prince Edward was not explained by the palace, but the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended Pope Francis’ inauguration, and Prince Philip represented Queen Elizabeth at Pope Benedict’s. So it appears to be a matter of established practice.”
Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at age 88 after a lengthy hospital stay due to double pneumonia. His funeral was held on April 26 in St. Peter’s Square, drawing thousands, including leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump.
Prince William represented King Charles at the funeral. The palace clarified that “the king will not travel to the Vatican, in accordance with protocol and precedence which dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals.”
Charles himself followed similar protocol when, as Prince of Wales, he attended Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005 on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
At that time, he attended alone, without Camilla Parker Bowles, delaying their wedding by a day in order to pay his respects. The couple married on April 9, 2005, one day after the funeral. Similarly, Prince William attended Pope Francis’ funeral solo, without Princess Kate, in keeping with precedent.
