Prince Edward has received a royal nod for steping in for King Charles at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration.
Taking to the official Instagram account of the British Royal Family on Monday, May 19, Buckingham Palace highlighted the Duke of Edinburgh’s recent royal duty, in which he represented the Monarch and congratulated the new pope on his installation.
“The Duke of Edinburgh meets Pope Leo XIV following his Inaugural Mass at the Vatican. His Royal Highness was representing The King at yesterday’s event which marked the official start of the new Papacy,” the Royals captioned.
Accompanying the statement was an exclusive photograph of the Duke with the newly-elected Pope.
In the snap, Prince Edward and Pope Leo were seen shaking hands as they had a delightful exchange of words.
At the ceremony, King Charles’s younger brother wore a black suit complemented by a purple-and-black tie.
Royal fans’ comments on the post:
Shortly after the Royal Family shared the sweet photograph, fans shared their delightful reactions and congratulated Pope Leo for his inauguration.
“Bless His Holiness and the Royal House of Windsor and their people,” one penned.
Another commented, “Congratulations! pop leo.”
Meanwhile, several others dropped a series of red heart emojis to express their love for the Duke of Edinburgh and the head of Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV:
Pope Leo XIV, whose real name is Robert Francis Prevost, is the head of the Catholic Church and is the 267th pope. He was elected in the 2025 papal conclave, following the passing of hsi predecessor Pope Francis.
He also made history by becoming the first American pope in the history of Catholic Church.
