State visits, carried out on behalf of the UK government, are an eclectic mix of elaborate ceremony, charming the crowds, flying the flag for business, trying local food and addressing serious international diplomacy.
It will be pizza, pasta and policy.
The visit comes at a time of economic and diplomatic upheaval from US President Donald Trump – and accompanying the King is the UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy.
There will be an emphasis on the UK’s closer military ties with Italy, which Lord Llewellyn said was “vital in a changing Europe, as both our countries stand steadfast in our support for Ukraine”.
Italy is also the UK’s ninth biggest trading partner – and a popular tourist destination, with Rome’s historic sights currently overflowing with holidaymakers.
There was a nod to Canada too in the ambassador’s comments, saying that a trip to Ravenna would reflect that King Charles was also King of Canada, with tributes to be paid to Canadian forces who helped to liberate Italy 80 years ago during the Second World War.
The King has had a complicated diplomatic balancing act, as head of state of both the UK and Canada, at a time when Canada has been put under great pressure by the Trump administration.
Scottish whisky producers, worrying about US tariffs, might also welcome a plug for their produce at a food festival in Ravenna, where it will be paired with parmesan cheese.
On Tuesday:
The King and Queen will be welcomed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter at his official residence, the Quirinale Palace
The Italian air force’s aerobatic team, Frecce Tricolori, and the RAF’s Red Arrows will hold a joint flypast over Rome
Mattarella and King Charles will hold a private meeting while the Queen will be shown a selection of books on horsemanship
The royal couple will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Altare della Patria.
Later this week, the royal couple will visit the Colosseum and also learn about Italian slow food.
The King will meet Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and become the first UK monarch to give a speech to both houses of Italy’s parliament.
The culture-loving royals will also have visits associated with the writers Dante and Lord Byron.
The evening of the King and Queen’s wedding anniversary on Wednesday will be spent at the Quirinale Palace for a state banquet. It will be a big personal moment for the couple, but these are also glitzy public events, with celebrities and politicians on the guest list, with a menu that showcases the country’s cuisine.
Ahead of the trip, there was an Italian dinner at the King’s Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, attended by guests including film stars Stanley Tucci and Helen Mirren, and former footballer David Beckham.
The state visit is going to be an intensive set of engagements and follows a recent “bump in the road” for the King’s health.
He had a brief stay in hospital after suffering side effects from his cancer treatment, but was well enough to return to a series of engagements last week.
Ambassador Lord Llewellyn said he was confident the trip by the royals – described as “Carlo and Camilla” in the Italian press – would leave a “meaningful and broad legacy”.
The royal couple’s wedding on 9 April 2005 was held at Windsor Guildhall.
