King Charles pays tribute to Pope Francis after his death aged 88: His Majesty joins world leaders in remembering ‘compassionate and devoted’ Pontiff following his ‘devastating’ passing
King Charles has joined world leaders in paying tribute to Pope Francis after the head of the Catholic Church died at the age of 88.
His Majesty said he was ‘deeply saddened’ to learn of the Pope’s passing earlier this morning in the Vatican City.
He said Francis, who was the first Latin American pope, would be ‘remembered for his compassion’ and had ‘profoundly touched the lives of so many’.
Pope Francis’s death came just weeks after King Charles and Queen Camilla met His Eminence in Rome during a royal visit to Italy, with His Majesty saying the couple were ‘greatly moved to have been able to visit him’.
The Pontiff had spent the last couple of months battling health problems, including a bout of pneumonia which left him hospitalised.
He had recovered enough to hold a private audience with the pair on April 9, and he had been seen at public events over the Easter weekend, while also meeting US Vice President JD Vance in recent days.
However, it was announced early on Easter Monday that he had passed away, sending more than a billion Catholics worldwide into mourning.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have a private meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican City on April 9 this year
Charles met with Pope Francis when he was the Prince of Wales during a trip to the Vatican in April 2017
The Pope looks out on thousands of people who gathered outside St Peter’s basilica for Easter Sunday mass yesterday
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Charles said: ‘My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis.
‘Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.
‘His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.
‘His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.
‘Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.
‘The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.
‘We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ.’
When they met earlier this month, they did so as the heads of two of the largest denominations of Christianity, and eight years after their previous meeting in Rome in 2017.
Pope Francis pictured smiling and waving to crowds in Ajaccio, the capital of the French island of Corsica, during a visit in December
In a statement released this morning, King Charles paid tribute to the Pope’s ‘compassion’ and ‘devotion’ to the church
Pope Francis had met with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday, just hours before his death
The Pope, who was wheelchair-bound for the last months of his life, met Vance at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican City on Easter Sunday
Days before his death the Pope had met with US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert
Upon the news of his passing, Vance said His Eminence had been ‘very ill’ during their meeting on Easter Sunday.
In a statement posted on X, he wrote: ‘I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.
‘I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.
‘May God rest his soul.’
He was joined in remembrance of the late pontiff by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said Francis was a ‘pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten’.
He said: ‘I join millions around the world in grieving the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.
‘His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility.
Pope Francis wipes his brow as he appears on the balcony of St Peter’s basilica yesterday
His Eminence was helped in and out of his robes as he made the public appearance just one day before his passing
Georgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, said Francis had been a good friend to her. Here they are pictured together during the G7 summit in June last year
Pope Francis and Georgia Meloni wave to the crowd at the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy, in June last year
‘Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.
‘That hope was as the heart of his papacy. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity.
‘With his death, we are reminded once more of his call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs.
‘My thoughts are with Catholics across the world, and the Roman Catholic church. May His Holiness Rest in Peace.’
Georgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, said the Pope had been a good friend to her and done his duty to the end.
‘The Pope and I had a more active relationship than was apparent. It went well beyond our respective institutional roles,’ she told Italian state broadcaster RAI.
‘We’ve met many times, even just to exchange opinions. He was able to give comfort in very difficult moments, I have many memories of the Pope,’ she added in a broken voice.
The 88-year-old pontiff died on Monday a day after his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged on March 23 from a lengthy hospital stay for pneumonia.
A woman is moved to tears in St Peter’s Square after the news of the Pontiff’s death becomes public knowledge
Catholics bow their heads as they gather at St Peter’s Square on Easter Monday following the death of Pope Francis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican in May 2023
President Zelensky smiles as he and the Pontiff shake hands during a later meeting at a G7 summit in June last year
‘The fact he’s leaving on Easter Monday, it’s like he wanted to do his duty until the very end,’ Meloni added, saying he had appeared fatigued at their most recent meeting.
She said the Pope kept in a drawer some artwork her daughter had made for him. She was also proud of convincing him to become the first pontiff to address a Group of Seven summit in 2024.
‘We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness,’ she added in an official statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with the Pope multiple times following the Russian invasion of his country, said he was grateful for his efforts to help his nation.
Sharing an image of his meeting with the Pontiff from May 2023, he wrote: ‘Millions of people around the world are mourning the tragic news of Pope Francis’s passing.
‘His life was devoted to God, to people, and to the Church. He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity. He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians.
‘We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!’
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the late Pope as a ‘defender’ of ‘humanism and justice’, and praised his efforts to promote dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.
Pope Francis frees doves at Istanbul’s Holy Spirit Cathedral during a trip to Turkey in 2014
Vladimir Putin receives an audience with Pope Francis during a visit to Italy in July 2019
Putin said Francis, who died on Monday, was a ‘wise’ religious leader, ‘statesman’ and ‘consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice’, in a letter to the Vatican published by the Kremlin.
‘During all the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive interaction between Russia and the Holy See,’ Putin added.
The Kremlin leader had met the pope three times – in 2013, 2015, and 2019. They held a phone call in December 2021, but had not spoken since then after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine just weeks later.
