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GV British Queen Elizabeth car arriving in Vatican courtyard as guard of honour wait to greet her. (2 SHOTS)
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SV Queen gets out of car and is greeted by Vatican officials.
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CU PAN INTERIOR FROM Prince Philip TO Queen Elizabeth seated.
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GV Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul seated.
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SV Vatican officials seated.
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GV & SVs Pope John Paul speaking in English as Queen and Prince Philip listen. (4 SHOTS)
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CUs Lord Carrington (British Foreign Secretary) and Prince Philip seated.
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SV Queen Elizabeth speaking in English as Pope listens.
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SV Pope John Paul and Queen Elizabeth examine Elizabeth gifts they have exchanged. (3 SHOTS)
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POPE: "In the context of collaboration in our common idea of service, I am happy to have the opportunity of our meeting in order to speak to you about a number of these issues. In the presence of your Majesty and your Royal Highness, I express the ardent hope that your noble nation will face this spiritual challenge with renewed enthusiasm and fresh moral vigour."



QUEEN: "Your holiness, it gives me very great pleasure to express on behalf of Prince Philip and myself the assurance of our sincere friendship and goodwill on the occasion of our state visit. We have already had the pleasure of being received by your distinguished predecessors, Pope Pius the Twelfth and Pope John the Twenty-third."





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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: British Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, met Pope John Paul on Friday (17 October) during the first formal state visit to the Vatican by a British monarch. Before delivering his formal speech of welcome, the Pope held forty minutes of private talks with the Queen, fifteen minutes longer than planned.

SYNOPSIS: The Queen is the official head of the Church of England. Her Vatican meeting was of special significance as the Pope is planning to visit Britain in 1982. That visit will not carry official status because he will nominally be making a pastoral visit to the British Roman Catholic community.

In the Vatican, the Pope welcomed the arrival of his Royal guests.

Queen Elizabeth made her formal reply to the Pope's welcome after private talks described as momentous.

Afterwards, the Pope presented the Queen with a copy of a manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy. In turn, the Pope was presented with a book about Windsor Castle and two signed photographs in silver frames.