Buckingham Palace has announced that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Pope Francis on April 3rd. The Queen will be making a one day visit to Rome in response to a lunch invitation by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
In a statement, the Palace said the invitation was extended last year by the Italian president but due to ill health, the Queen was unable to visit.
“In the interim, a new Pope was elected and Her Majesty will now use this visit as an opportunity to meet His Holiness Pope Francis for the first time,” the Queen’s press secretary stated.
“Her Majesty has not yet met Pope Francis so this seemed like an opportune time for the two Heads of State to meet.”
The visit, which is set for April 3rd, will be Queen Elizabeth II’s first overseas visit in three years. (J.A.E.)
