King Charles has made history by delivering a speech to both houses of Italy’s parliament — the first time a British monarch has addressed the Italian legislature.
Entering the Chamber of Deputies to a band’s rendition of the Italian national anthem, the King was welcomed by hundreds of parliamentarians gathered to hear him speak. Part of his address was expected to be delivered in Italian, reflecting the importance of the occasion.
Earlier in the day, King Charles met with Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, at the Villa Doria Pamphili on the outskirts of Rome. The King received a ceremonial red-carpet welcome, accompanied by a military band on horseback positioned in front of the 17th-century palace, with its gardens offering sweeping views towards St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican.
The King and Prime Minister Meloni, a fluent English speaker, appeared to share an animated conversation as they strolled through the villa’s gardens.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently on the third day of their state visit to Italy. During a visit to a local state school in Rome, Queen Camilla was presented with a Margherita pizza in a delivery-style box, marking their 20th wedding anniversary. The gesture was warmly received by the Queen, adding a personal and light-hearted moment to the formal itinerary.
Later on Wednesday evening, the royal couple are due to attend a state banquet at the Quirinale Palace, the official residence of the President of Italy. The banquet, expected to feature local cuisine, will host a range of celebrities and dignitaries to mark the occasion.
The King and Queen have enjoyed a warm reception throughout their visit. On Tuesday, they posed for photographs with crowds outside the Colosseum, near the historic site of the Temple of Venus. Supporters were heard calling out "Carlo" — the Italian name for Charles — while local media took interest in their distinctive claret-coloured State Bentley.
Back in the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace marked the royal couple’s wedding anniversary with a musical tribute. The Royal Family’s official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a video showing the guards playing a brass band version of Madness’s 1981 hit "It Must Be Love" in the palace forecourt.
The state visit underscores the strong diplomatic and cultural ties between the United Kingdom and Italy. King Charles’s speech to the Italian parliament is a symbolic highlight of the visit, reinforcing a message of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
