King Charles III made history Thursday by becoming the first British monarch in five centuries to pray publicly with a pope, in a Vatican ceremony that symbolized a dramatic step toward reconciliation between the Anglican and Catholic churches. The moment, however, came as the royal family faced renewed turmoil over the lingering fallout from the Prince Andrew scandal.

Inside the Sistine Chapel, beneath Michelangelo's iconic "Last Judgment," King Charles and Pope Leo XIV sat on gilded thrones and joined in an ecumenical service centered on care for creation-an issue close to both leaders. The service, presided over jointly by Pope Leo and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, marked what Vatican officials described as an unprecedented gesture of unity since the Reformation of 1534, when Henry VIII broke from Rome to establish the Church of England.

"It would be difficult to overstate the significance of this particular visit," Rev. Martin Browne, an official in the Vatican's department for Promoting Christian Unity, told CNN. "A service in which both the pope and a British sovereign participate has not been experienced since long before the Reformation."

The event featured music by the Sistine Chapel Choir alongside choristers from St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace, symbolizing the merging of Catholic and Anglican traditions. Diarmaid MacCulloch, a church historian at Oxford University, said the encounter reflected "genuine significance in the Papacy showing such formal favor" to Charles, calling it "a nice goodwill gesture on the Vatican's part."

The King and Queen met Pope Leo earlier Thursday for private talks before attending the service, part of a two-day state visit celebrating the Vatican's Holy Jubilee year. The trip was originally scheduled for early spring but delayed due to the death of Pope Francis. It also fulfills Charles's long-standing wish, as head of the Church of England, to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year.

The meeting carried deep historical weight. The papacy and British crown had not shared a public act of worship since Henry VIII's split from Rome nearly 500 years ago. To mark the occasion, Pope Leo appointed Charles as a "Royal Confrater" of St. Paul's Basilica Outside the Walls-home to the apostle's tomb and long linked to English monarchs. In return, Charles named Leo a "Papal Confrater of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle," and bestowed upon him the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, a distinction traditionally reserved for heads of state.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, said the prayer signaled "a genuine and profound co-operation." He added that Charles, as both constitutional monarch and "protector of religious freedom," has emphasized faith's "important role in society across his kingdom."

The visit coincides with growing internal strain in the Anglican Communion following the election of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. Her appointment has prompted conservative Anglican leaders across Africa and Asia to sever ties with the Church of England, accusing it of abandoning traditional teachings.

Meanwhile, the King's trip to Rome has provided a brief respite from mounting pressure at home. The royal family continues to face public scrutiny after the release of Virginia Giuffre's memoir revived allegations about Prince Andrew's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York, who has "vigorously" denied Giuffre's claims, has agreed to stop using his titles, but British lawmakers are calling on Buckingham Palace to formally strip him of his dukedom and residence near Windsor Castle.