King Charles and Queen Camilla will host actor Stanley Tucci at a formal dinner on Friday evening to commemorate the upcoming state visit to Italy later this year.
The royal couple is scheduled to travel to Italy in April. Buckingham Palace has confirmed their meetings with Pope Francis, Italian leaders, as well as their engagements in Rome and the historic city of Ravenna.
The visit is planned to coincide with the King and Queen's 20th wedding anniversary on 9 April.
Tucci, known for presenting the BBC's "Searching For Italy" program, will deliver a speech at an event at the royal Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.
The Palace's announcement of the state visit indicates the King's good health for an overseas trip as he continues his cancer treatment.
Tucci, an American of Italian heritage, starred in the Oscar-nominated Vatican thriller "Conclave" and has shared his battle with throat cancer which impacted his sense of taste.
The Italian-themed evening at Highgrove will also include the Italian ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini.
Chef Francesco Mazzei will prepare an Italian menu featuring local ingredients in the "slow food" style, focusing on fresh, regional dishes cooked traditionally.
Mixologist Alessandro Palazzi will craft beverages using Italian flavors and herbs grown at Highgrove.
An art, culture, and religion enthusiast, the King has visited Italy regularly, with this upcoming trip marking his 18th official visit.
State visits serve diplomatic purposes for the Foreign Office, likely including meetings with senior Italian government officials to strengthen relations with a key European partner, though specific itinerary details remain undisclosed.
During their visit, the King and Queen may also celebrate the 20th anniversary of their marriage in April 2005.
The meeting with Pope Francis aligns with 2025 being a special jubilee year for the Catholic Church, held every 25 years. The King and Queen will participate in the jubilee celebrations alongside the Pope as Pilgrims of Hope, according to the Palace.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the Pope during the last jubilee year in 2000.
The King has previously met Pope Francis, notably at the Vatican in 2019 during the canonization of the English-born Cardinal John Henry Newman. This will be their first meeting since Charles ascended as the monarch and supreme governor of the Church of England.