King Charles has said he and Queen Camilla have “heavy hearts” after Pope Francis’s death, as they paid tribute to his “compassion” and “tireless commitment” to people of faith.
The King said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace that though “deeply saddened”, their sorrow had been “somewhat eased” by the Pope being able to “share an Easter greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion” before he died aged 88.
The King and Camilla met the pontiff on a state visit to Italy earlier this month – one of several he said he remembered with “particular affection”.
During the private meeting, Pope Francis had wished them a happy 20th wedding anniversary.
The King said: “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.
“His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.”
The King and Pope Francis have both been long-standing advocates of combatting climate change. In 2023, the pontiff warned that world was “collapsing” due climate change and may be “nearing breaking point”.
The same year, Pope Francis also threw his weight behind calls for an end to fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas at the COP28 climate conference, describing “the destruction of the environment is an offense against God”.
Viewed as among the more progressive popes, he had the difficult task of maintaining Church unity in a changing world.
Pope Francis allowed priests to bless same-sex couples in 2023, a significant step forward for LGBT Catholics – but a controversial move for many, which fell short of allowing blessings in regular church rituals or weddings, while marking a departure from a long-held Church position.
He also opposed gay adoption, as well as holding other traditional views, like rejecting the death penalty, abortion and supporting the celibacy of priests.
The King said he and Camilla had been “greatly moved to have been able to visit him” earlier in April, after first meeting the Pope in 2017 while Charles was still Prince of Wales.
The royal couple sent their “most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ”.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, said the Pope’s death “brings great sadness to so many around the world, both within the Catholic Church and in societies in general”.
“A voice proclaiming the innate dignity of every human being, especially those who are poor or marginalised, is now silent. The legacy he leaves is one we must seek to carry forward and strengthen,” he added.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the most senior Church of England priest, in his tribute described the Pope as a “holy man of God” who was “also very human”.
“Francis’s whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served, but to serve,” he added.
Also paying tribute, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was joining “millions around the world in grieving the death”.
He praised the Pope’s leadership of the Catholic Church as “courageous” and coming from a “place of deep humility”.
“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty,” Sir Keir said.
“Yet he never lost the faith-fuelled hope of a better world.”
In his final address on Easter Sunday, read out by a member of the clergy, Pope Francis reiterated his frequent call for peace, saying it could not be achieved without “freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others”.
The Pope alluded to the people of Gaza, in particular its Christian population, saying the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas “causes death and destruction” and created a “deplorable humanitarian situation”.
He also called a global rise in antisemitism “worrisome”, expressing his “closeness to the sufferings” of Israelis and Palestinians.
The Pope also encouraged all parties involved in the Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to “pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace” – though he previously caused controversy for urging Ukraine to seek an end to the war and have “the courage to raise the white flag”.
Other senior British politicians to pay tribute include:
- Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who said the Pope’s death on Easter Monday “feels especially poignant”, adding that he “reminded us that leadership isn’t about power, but about service”
- Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the Pope was a “voice for peace, tolerance and reconciliation”
- Eluned Morgan, the first minister of Wales, said Pope Francis “led with unwavering humility, courage and profound compassion”
- Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill noted the Pope’s 2018 visit to Ireland, during which he “spoke passionately in support of the peace process”, while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly offered her “sincere condolences to all those who mourn” his death
