Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Duchess of Cornwall will see Pope Benedict XVI on April 27 as part of an upcoming trip to Italy.Charles and Camilla are expected to meet Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on the same day, when climate change will top the agenda, a statement from the British embassy said Friday.
The prince's April 26-30 visit will include a speech to the Chamber of Deputies, a meeting with Italian businessmen on environmental matters and a 'Slow Food' rally.
As well as being received by the pope in a private audience, Charles will discuss interreligious questions and climate change with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
In April 2005, when Benedict's predecessor John Paul II died, Prince Charles put off his wedding to Camilla to attend the funeral.
Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is titular head of the Anglican Church.
The April 27 audience will be the first time Prince Charles has been admitted to an audience at the Vatican since his divorce, the death of Princess Diana and his re-marriage. In 1985 the prince and Diana visited John Paul in Rome.
The prince, who has made frequent private trips to Italy - especially Tuscany, where he has many friends - to pursue his interests in art and architecture, made an official visit to the country seven years ago.
The tour, including Rome, Florence and Naples, was largely aimed at promoting British beef after the 'mad cow' scare. He did not however go to meet John Paul, nor again when he made a trip to Turin and Piedmont in 2004, to attend the organic Slow Food Fair.
The royals' upcoming trip will also take in Venice where the couple will visit the restored Fenice opera house and attend a seminar on preserving the lagoon.
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(Source: ANSA)