Pope Leo XIV received King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, a year after the king welcomed Pope Francis to Belgium. At the time, the king’s remarks to Pope Francis on the Church and sexual abuse provoked international headlines.
In contrast, the king’s audience with Pope Leo was more muted, with The Brussels Times reporting that “the King and Queen expressed satisfaction with the strong relationship between Belgium and the Vatican. Their discussions touched on several global concerns, including Africa, the war in Ukraine, and efforts to promote international peace.”