Patriarch Bartholomew met with King Charles III in the United Kingdom

On September 21, 2026, a meeting took place at Balmoral Castle in Scotland between Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and King Charles III of the United Kingdom. This was the second meeting between the head of the Church of Constantinople and the king since his accession to the throne.

During a private audience held at the British monarch’s summer residence, the two discussed a number of current issues in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Although the official schedule had allocated 30 minutes for the meeting, it lasted twice as long as planned. At the conclusion of the audience, the king personally escorted the Patriarch to the castle’s exit.

On this official trip, the head of the Phanar was accompanied by Bishop Raphael of Ilia and Archimandrite Aetius, director of the Patriarchal Office. It is worth noting that the history of personal contacts between Bartholomew and Charles III spans many years: prior to the British monarch’s coronation, they had met on numerous occasions when he still held the title of Prince of Wales, and their previous meeting as crowned heads took place in October 2022.