King Charles gives speech to Italy’s parliament

April 9, 2025

Sean Coughlan

Royal correspondent

Getty Images King Charles III arrives at the Italian Parliament to deliver a speech as part of a state visit in Italy. He is in the middle of the photograph and there is a man standing either side of him and several people standing behind in the background — King Charles III arrives at the Italian parliament to deliver a speech

King Charles is giving a speech to both houses of Italy’s parliament – the first time a UK monarch has delivered such an address.

A band played a rendition of Italy’s national anthem as the King entered the Chamber of Deputies, where a crowd of hundreds of parliamentarians had gathered to hear him speak.

The King began the day by meeting Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, receiving a ceremonial red-carpet welcome at the Villa Doria Pamphili, on the outskirts of Rome.

The King and Queen are on the third day of their state visit to Italy – and the Queen was given a taste of local cuisine when she was presented with a delivery-style box of pizza while visiting a local state school.

Queen Camilla was given a Margherita pizza on a visit to a school in Rome, in honour of her 20th wedding anniversary to King Charles.

The King and Meloni seemed to be having an animated conversation, with the politician a fluent English speaker, as they walked around the 17th Century palace’s gardens.

A military band on horseback lined up in front of the palace to greet the King, against the villa’s backdrop of orange trees and views stretching over St Peter’s and the Vatican.

Queen Camilla received a pizza during a visit to a school in Rome

Reuters Queen Camilla, wearing a polka dot collared dress, receives a margherita pizza in a takeaway box in Rome — Queen Camilla received a pizza during a visit to a school in Rome

The King received a red carpet welcome at the Villa Doria Pamphili

PA Media King Charles, in a black suit and white shirt with a silver tie, walks with Giorgia Meloni, who wears a white suit, at Villa Doria Pamphili, in Rome, — The King received a red carpet welcome at the Villa Doria Pamphili

The royal couple will spend the evening of their wedding anniversary at a state banquet at the Quirinale Palace, an event likely to be a showcase for local food and for a guest list of celebrities and dignitaries.

The King and Queen have been given a warm reception on their trip to Italy, posing for photos on Tuesday as they met crowds outside the Colosseum, near the ancient site of the Temple of Venus.

There were calls of “Carlo” – Italian for Charles – from crowds waiting to see the royal visitors and local media also seemed interested by their car, the claret coloured State Bentley.

Back home at Buckingham Palace, there was a musical tribute to mark the royal couple’s wedding anniversary.

The Royal Family’s official X account posted a video which showed guards playing a brass version of Madness’s 1981 hit It Must Be Love.