King Charles and Queen Camilla found an appropriately symbolic place in Rome to pose for photographs on the second day of their state visit to Italy. They stood in the ancient Temple of Venus, honouring a goddess of love, during a four-day trip which coincides with their 20th wedding anniversary.
The royal visitors were earlier given a ceremonial red-carpet welcome by Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter Laura at the Quirinale Palace. At the Colosseum, shouts of "Carlo" could be heard from the crowds as the King and Queen met tourists visiting the historic monument.
The state visit is part of the UK's efforts to reinforce its links with its European allies. In a symbolic show of unity, the UK's Red Arrow pilots flew alongside their Italian counterparts, the Frecce Tricolori, in a flypast that trailed the colours of both countries over the skies above Rome. The UK's ambassador to Italy, Lord Llewellyn, has said the alliance between Italy and the UK was "vital in a changing Europe, as both our countries stand steadfast in our support of Ukraine".
The Colosseum provided a picture book setting for a photograph, with the royals standing on a balcony at the site of the Temple of Venus and Rome, built almost 2,000 years ago. The King and Queen will celebrate their 20th anniversary on Wednesday by attending a state banquet in the evening - a glitzy event which will have a guest list of politicians and celebrities.
A new set of photographs to mark their anniversary were taken on Monday evening, as the King and Queen visited the British ambassador at his residence. State visits are a soft power mix of public engagements and diplomatic meetings. Such visits are carried out on behalf of the UK government - Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been accompanying the King on the trip.
King Charles will meet Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday. He will also make a speech to both houses of Italy's Parliament - the first time a UK monarch will deliver such an address.
The state visit had originally been intended to include engagements at the Vatican, but that was postponed because of the ill-health of Pope Francis. However, with the Pope seeming to be getting better, there has been speculation about a possible private meeting when the King and Queen are in Rome.
On the first day of his visit, King Charles met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the presidential palace, before visiting the imposing Victor Emmanuel II Monument in the heart of Rome. The monument is dedicated to the first king of a unified Italy. While there, King Charles laid a wreath at Italy’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and was honoured with a joint flypast by the Italian Air Force aerobatic team the “Frecce Tricolori” and their Royal Air Force counterparts, the “Red Arrows.”
Later in the afternoon, the King and Queen visited the Archaeological Park at the Colosseum. On Wednesday, King Charles will meet with Italian Prime Minister before visiting a round table, chaired by the UK’s foreign secretary, on “Clean Energy Supply Chains.” He will then head to the Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate, where he will speak before a joint session of Parliament.
In the evening, the King will attend private meetings as well as a state banquet hosted by President Mattarella. On Thursday and Friday, the King and Queen will travel to the northern Italian city of Ravenna, where they will visit the tomb of Dante. During their stay in Ravenna, King Charles will visit the 5th and 6th century mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale and the adjacent Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and take part in a meeting of the Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna.
The King and Queen will also attend a reception marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the province of Ravenna by Allied Forces, including British and Canadian forces, during the Second World War. The visit will also provide an opportunity for the King and Queen to take part in a regional festival celebrating traditional cuisine, with King Charles meeting with local farmers, including those affected by the floods that have afflicted Ravenna in recent years.
