King Charles has cemented a “signifiant” moment in history by sharing a prayer with Pope Leo XIV in the Sistine Chapel, a royal historian has told GB News.
Speaking to Good Afternoon Britain, Alexander Larman declared “bridges have been mended” as the British monarch became the first in 500 years to pray with a Pope.
King Charles joined the Pope in public prayer for the first time since the Reformation during a historic service at the Chapel.
The monarch and Queen Camilla joined the Pontiff as part of the Papal Jubilee festivities, which occur once every quarter-century.
King Charles’s ‘significant’ moment in history has been outlined by expert Alexander Larman
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REUTERS / GB NEWS
Discussing the monumental event on GB News, Mr Larman stated: “It’s impossible to overstate what a big deal this is in this country.
“People are seeing Charles, who was obviously the defender of a faith, Governor of the Church of England. And I think it’s also fair to say that relationship between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church has not always been the closest.
“But what Charles is doing, I think very successfully, is he’s saying essentially the two faiths can coexist.”
Pinpointing how the King’s visit comes at a time when people “do not take faith seriously”, the historian added: “What’s interesting is that I don’t think any other monarch in the last few centuries has actually seen it as their responsibility to do this.
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The royals stood on either side of Pope Leo for an official photograph of the meeting
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REUTERS
“Because ultimately, people don’t take faith that seriously.”
Praising the British monarch further, Mr Larman explained that King Charles’s “understanding of history” has made his visit even more poignant.
He said: “The one thing that you can say about Charles, whether you like him as king or not, he is somebody who understands history and he understands the significance of what he’s doing.
“Because obviously, for a monarch of the United Kingdom to be praying with a Pope 500 years ago, he would have said that was an absolute impossibility.
Mr Larman told GB News that the King’s prayer is not ‘getting the attention it deserves’
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GB NEWS
“But now it really does show that bridges have been mended, and it’s something that I think will be a significant moment forever.”
Noting the recent developments in allegations surrounding Prince Andrew, Mr Larman concluded that the King’s visit has been somewhat “overshadowed” by Prince Andrew.
He said: “Of course, the trouble is that there have been so many other royal stories in the past week.
“But something like this, which should have been the biggest story of the past month, possibly in the past year, is possibly not going to have the attention it deserves.”
