Following an Easter Sunday spent with family in Windsor, including attending the Matins service at St George’s Chapel, King Charles returned to work on Bank Holiday Monday, greeting New Zealand’s Prime Minister. 

The meeting between Charles, 76, and New Zealand’s premier Christopher Luxon came just hours after the monarch was told the news of the passing of Pope Francis.

The pontiff died aged 88 following a cerebral stroke in the early hours of Monday morning.

As a mark of respect to the late Pope, who will be buried in Rome later this week, both the King and Mr Luxon, 54, wore black ties in tribute to the late head of the Roman Catholic church.

Charles, who had led his family to church on Sunday for the traditional Easter service in Windsor, wore a double breasted slate grey suit for the meeting. 

In a post on his social media account, Mr Luxon spoke of the King’s affection for the Antipodean country.

He wrote: ‘His Majesty King Charles III has a deep love of New Zealand. It was an honour to have an audience with him at Windsor Castle upon my arrival in London.’ 

The two men are thought to have covered a range of topics in the Bank Holiday meeting, with Mr Luxon saying: ‘There’s a long-standing convention we don’t talk about the detail of those conversations. 

Just hours after the death of the Pope was announced, King Charles held an audience with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, right, at Windsor Castle

Both the King and the New Zealand Premier wore black ties as a mark of respect for the late pontiff

‘But suffice to say, as you would expect, he’s got a great amount of time for New Zealand, and was interested in what was happening back at home.’ 

Yesterday, King Charles joined world leaders in paying tribute to the Pope, saying he was ‘deeply saddened’ to learn of the Pope’s passing in the Vatican City.

He said Francis, who was the first Latin American pope, would be ‘remembered for his compassion’ and had ‘profoundly touched the lives of so many’.

Pope Francis’s death came just weeks after King Charles and Queen Camilla met His Eminence in Rome during a royal visit to Italy, with His Majesty saying the couple were ‘greatly moved to have been able to visit him’.

The Pontiff had spent the last couple of months battling health problems, including a bout of pneumonia which left him hospitalised.

He had recovered enough to hold a private audience with the pair on April 9, and he had been seen at public events over the Easter weekend, while also meeting US Vice President JD Vance in recent days.

However, it was announced early on Easter Monday that he had passed away, sending more than a billion Catholics worldwide into mourning.

The king released a statement on Monday, saying that he and Queen Camilla had enjoyed meeting the Pope on their recent visit to Italy

Mr Luxon told New Zealanders that the King has ‘got a great amount of time for New Zealand, and was interested in what was happening back at home’

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Charles said: ‘My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis.

‘Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.

‘His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.

‘His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.

Charles met with Pope Francis when he was the Prince of Wales during a trip to the Vatican in April 2017

King Charles and Queen Camilla have a private meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican City on April 9 this year

‘Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.

‘The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.

‘We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ.’

As the world prepares for the Pope’s funeral, it’s been revealed that the late pontiff did not fear death, but instead welcomed the ‘new beginning’ of eternal life with God.

Writing in an essay just two months ago, Francis had reflected on death on February 7th this year as he penned a preface for Cardinal Angelo Scola’s new book, titled ‘Awaiting a New Beginning. Reflections on Old Age’.

‘Death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something,’ the pontiff wrote in the preface, which was released by the Vatican today.