The gathering was filled with warmth and joy as attendees sang "Happy Birthday" in English and Arabic Photo: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

This is what the visit of the King and Queen of England to Pope Francis in April 2025 will be like

Scheduled from April 7 to 10, the royal visit will focus primarily on the Vatican and the Catholic Church’s for the 2025 Jubilee Year. It also comes at a time when Pope Francis, having recently left the hospital on March 23, is under medical orders to rest for two months. The possibility of an in-person meeting remains open, though it will likely depend on the Pope’s health.

Lord Mayor of Westminster receives Papal Knighthood

Elected to Westminster City Council in 2010, Cllr Rigby – who became Lord Mayor in May 2024 – is a former chair of the Catholic Union who has used his Mayoral year to speak publicly about his Catholic faith in public life. One of his two chosen charities for the one-year term of Lord Mayor is the Cardinal Hume Centre, which specialises in helping homeless teens.