King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV Exchange Ecumenical Titles

King Charles III has appointed Pope Leo XIV as a Papal Confrater of the College of St George at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. This appointment, approved by the King and the Dean and Canons of Windsor, is intended to foster Christian unity and recognize the historic ties between the Vatican and the Anglican institution. The move serves as a reciprocal gesture following the Pope’s previous appointment of the King as a Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.

The Anglican Communion News Service characterized the exchange as a symbol of spiritual fellowship and mutual esteem between the two leaders. To commemorate the relationship, a chair for the Pope has been installed at St George’s Chapel, mirroring a chair previously commissioned for the King in Rome. These actions follow a joint prayer service held in the Sistine Chapel last year, which marked the first act of shared worship between an English monarch and a Pope in over 500 years.