Queen Elizabeth arrives at Vatican for Pope visit
British monarch lunched with Napolitano after arriving in Rome
03 April, 15:52
(Updates previous)
(ANSA) - Rome, April 3 - Queen Elizabeth II and her husband
Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh, arrived at the Vatican for
a meeting with Pope Francis Thursday.The informal meeting came shortly after the royal couple had lunch with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinal palace.
Dressed in a lavender-coloured coat and matching hat decorated with spring flowers, the Commonwealth's queen landed at 12:30 p.m. local time at the Ciampino military airport on the western edge of Rome, where she was greeted by Britain's ambassador Christopher Prentice. She was greeted at the courtyard of the presidential palace on Rome's famed Quirinal Hill, which boasted a view towards her next stop, the Vatican, by an honour guard and a military band that played the national anthems of Britain and Italy.
In an atmosphere described as pleasant, smiles were exchanged amid greetings in the English language, before the group moved on to lunch in the Quirinale's Hall of Bronzino, according to journalists observing the queen's arrival.
Decorating the queen's coat was a large brooch trimmed with gold, sapphire and diamonds, a gift from Mary, the former queen and Elizabeth's grandmother, who bought the piece of jewelry in 1934.
It was presented as a gift to Elizabeth in 1953, the year of her formal coronation which followed her accession to the throne in 1952.
The British flag, the Union Jack, fluttered in the breeze as the president and his wife Clio greeted the visitors from London, before they travel across Rome to meet with the pope.
Elizabeth, who is also head of the Church of England, was expected to discuss issues around the role of faith in the world during her visit with Francis, Vatican Radio reported earlier in the day.
The 87-year-old queen is coming to Rome after cancelling a March 2013 visit to Rome due to a gastrointestinal illness that required a brief hospitalisation.
She has visited the Italian capital four times during her 62-year reign, the last time 14 years ago when she met former Pope John Paul II at the Vatican; however, this marks her first meeting with Francis.
