Pope Leo and King Charles Bridge a 500-Year Divide

Despite what the article says, Henry VIII would probably be very happy. Henry remained a Catholic, albeit schismatic, all of his life. It was his son, Edward VI, who was a heretic.

From Aleteia

By Cerith Gardiner

Five centuries after England's break with Rome, an exchange of honorary titles between Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III is bringing a little of their shared Christian history back to life.

Henry VIII might be turning in his grave at the latest news from Windsor Castle! Nearly 500 years after the English king severed ties with Rome, Pope Leo XIV has accepted an honorary position at St George's Chapel, with the enthusiastic approval of King Charles III.

Even more remarkably, the Pope will have his own specially designated chair at Windsor, while the King has been accorded the same privilege in one of Rome's great papal basilicas. Given the huge falling-out between the English Crown and the papacy in the 16th century, it's a pretty spectacular turnaround.

However, the exchange is far more than an exercise in ecclesiastical furniture arrangements. Pope Leo has accepted the title of Papal Confrater of the College of St George, while Charles was made Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls during his visit to the Vatican last year. The exchange of titles was announced on that occasion. Buckingham Palace has described the reciprocal honors as reflecting their “deep mutual esteem” and “shared desire for Christian unity,” giving a centuries-old relationship a decidedly more cordial chapter, and maybe even a sign of hope.

Before things got complicated

To understand the extent of the gesture, it helps to remember that Windsor's relationship with Rome began long before Henry VIII decided to take matters into his own hands, in fact nearly 700 years ago.

When Edward III founded the College of St George in 1348, England was Catholic, and the papacy played an important role in establishing the new institution. Pope Clement VI authorized the King to draw up statutes for the College in 1350, and a further papal exemption followed in 1351, helping establish the chapel's special ecclesiastical status.

Today, St George's Chapel is one of the most recognizable religious buildings associated with the British monarchy. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, and has hosted royal weddings and funerals -- you'll no doubt remember that it is the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the venue for Prince Harry's marriage to the then-Meghan Markle.

Its history, however, also tells the story of England's changing religious identity. Henry VIII's break with Rome in 1534 brought centuries of Catholic royal tradition to an abrupt end, although St George's itself thankfully survived the Reformation. Sadly, the close relationship between the English Crown and the papacy became a casualty of a religious upheaval whose consequences are still felt today.

The Holy Father's new honorary position is a perfect way in reconnecting Windsor with a part of its history that predates the Reformation, without challenging the chapel's Anglican identity or suggesting that the differences between the two Churches have disappeared.

A royal visit with lasting consequences

The foundations for this latest development were laid a year ago, on October 23, 2025, when King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Vatican and the king joined Pope Leo in prayer during an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.

The service was quite a moment in itself. After centuries of separation, the heads of the Catholic Church and the Church of England were praying together beneath Michelangelo's magnificent work. It was a setting that has witnessed its fair share of Church history, although this particular occasion offered something rather different: two Christian leaders looking for ways to bring their communities closer together.

And the visit wasn't finished delivering surprises. At the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, Charles was welcomed as Royal Confrater, reviving a relationship between English monarchs and the basilica that had existed long before Henry VIII complicated matters. To mark the occasion, a special chair bearing the King's coat of arms was placed beside the monastic stalls, inscribed with the words Ut unum sint — “That they may be one” — from Christ's prayer for Christian unity.

Not to be outdone, Windsor is now making room for the pope. With King Charles's blessing and the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Leo has accepted the title of Papal Confrater of St George's Chapel, complete with a chair of his own. (We can only imagine what Henry VIII would make of a pope being given a place of honor in his old stomping ground, particularly with the full approval of his royal successor!)

Of course, nobody is suggesting that the two Churches have suddenly resolved five centuries of theological disagreements. Charles remains Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Pope Leo remains head of the Catholic Church, and the Reformation is not about to be consigned to the history books. But the willingness to celebrate their shared Christian heritage, rather than dwell exclusively on their differences, marks a welcome change of emphasis.

A little more than good manners

The official announcement describes the exchange as celebrating “what unites rather than what separates” Catholics and Anglicans, a sentiment that feels particularly welcome in what it calls an “increasingly polarised and turbulent world.” After all, if two groups with five centuries of disagreements behind them can find something to celebrate together, there might be hope for the rest of us.

Archbishop Richard Moth, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has called Pope Leo's appointment a “symbol of hope,” recalling the message on King Charles' chair in Rome, giving the whole exchange a meaning that goes well beyond royal protocol.

And the chairs aren't the only signs of this renewed friendship. Later this autumn, Charles is expected to attend the dedication of a mosaic icon of Christ of Cefalù at St George's Chapel, a gift from Pope Leo during last year's Vatican visit. The icon will remain in the South Quire Aisle, bringing a little piece of Sicily into the heart of Windsor and adding another chapter to a chapel whose Catholic roots stretch back nearly seven centuries.

It's hard not to see a certain irony in watching a relationship that once involved excommunications, royal defiance and an almighty religious upheaval now expressed through honorary titles, thoughtful gifts and the exchange of chairs. But maybe that is exactly what makes these gestures so interesting. Neither Charles nor Leo is pretending that the Reformation never happened, or that Catholics and Anglicans have suddenly settled their differences. They are simply choosing not to let those differences have the final word.

And after nearly 500 years of disagreement over who belongs where, the sight of a pope with a place at Windsor and a king with a place in Rome is something to smile about.