Buckingham Palace has shared major update on King Charles planned state visit to the Vatican in early April.

According to the palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla have postponed the visit following medical advice from the pope´s doctors.

Palace statement reads, “Medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation. Their Majesties send the pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in The Holy See, once he has recovered.”

The monarch, who is the head of the Church of England, had been scheduled to meet his Catholic counterpart on April 8.

But by “mutual agreement” with the Holy See the visit which would have been Charles first to the Vatican as monarch has now been postponed.

Earlier, the palace had said, “On Tuesday 8th April, Their Majesties will visit the Holy See to join Pope Francis in celebrating the 2025 Jubilee. Held traditionally once every 25 years, the Jubilee is a special year for the Catholic Church; a year of reconciliation, prayer and walking together.”

Following the update, royal expert Cameron Walker tweeted, “Their Majesties State Visit to Italy is understood to still be going ahead, but the programme may be impacted.”