Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the Vatican on Thursday for a historic visit to forge closer relations between the Church of England and the Catholic Church, a welcome spiritual respite for the royals from the turmoil at home over the Epstein sex scandal.

According to a social media post on the royal family's official Instagram, King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit includes a visit to the Papal Basilica and a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, a seminary that trains priests from across the Commonwealth.

King Charles has become the first English monarch to publicly pray with a Catholic pontiff in 500 years during an historic visit to the Vatican.