The Pope presented the Queen with a priceless gift for Prince George at the Vatican today, although even Her Majesty admitted he is too young to enjoy the elaborate ornament.
The orb made from lapis lazuli semi-precious stone featuring a silver cross of St Edward the Confessor was given to Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh to pass on to her heir.
This was accompanied by a manuscript dating back to 1679 proclaiming the saint day of Edward the Confessor.
The Pope explained "it's for the little boy" as he handed the gifts over.
Even the Queen had to admit it was not an age appropriate present for her eight-month-old great-grandson, saying: "He will be thrilled with that... When he's a little older."
The ornament - made especially for the occasion - featured an inscription saying: "From Pope Francis to Prince George of Cambridge."
By contrast, Prince Philip, 92, was delighted with his gift from the Pope - three gold medals bearing the Pontiff's face.
He joked: "That's very kind of you, that's the only gold medal I have ever won."
As guests the royal couple did not come empty handed. In a friendly exchange they presented two signed pictures of themselves in silver frames and a hamper of goodies from the Royal Estates.
Talk: Queen Elizabeth talks with Pope Francis during their meeting at the Vatican
This included honey, aromatherapy soaps, Balmoral whisky and Grandad's chutney. Pope Francis indicated he would give the hamper to a local poor house.
This was the Queen's seventh meeting with a Pope since 1951, when she was still a princess.
The Queen and Pope Francis ditched historic religious and royal tradition for their casual first meeting at the Vatican this afternoon on a gloriously sunny day in Rome.
Their visit - described as "official but informal" - had little of the rigid protocol and fanfare that accompanied Her Majesty's previous visits.
She and Prince Philip arrived via the side gate rather than pulling up to the front of St Peter's Square in front of the crowds of tourists.
In a break from tradition, the monarch also ditched the formal black outfit and veil she had worn at her four prior visits to meet a Pope at the sacred Vatican.
The Queen chose to wear Spring pastels with a lilac, green and yellow chiffon Stuart Parvin dress with a matching lilac coat and hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan.
The Pontiff hosted the Queen in his simple study in the Paul VI Hall, a modern building normally used for more informal papal engagements and close to his basic residence at the Vatican's own B&B.
Royal aides said both parties favoured the more relaxed approach to their first ever meeting.
It is also understood the Queen declined to meet in the grand rooms of the Apostolic Palace, as there were concerns about the distance and stairs the elderly monarch would have to cope with.
Present: One of the gifts to the Pope was a bottle of Balmoral whisky
Their meeting lasted just 20 minutes and it is not known what they discussed. The royal couple were in the Italian capital for only four hours.
Their visit was at the invitation of Italian president Giorgio Napolitano - a fervent supporter of the 87-year-old British monarch.
She arrived by private jet with Philip at Ciampino Military Airport. Before their meeting with Pope Francis they dined with the president and his wife Clio in his official residence Quirinal Palace.
The Italian leader and the Queen smiled as they shared a few words while they posed for photographers inside the 16th Century building.
The quick visit was the Queen's first overseas engagement since a tour of Australia in 2011.
Her age, as well as recent health scares for the Queen and the Duke, appeared to have put a stop to their busy foreign schedule that has seen Her Majesty visit 116 countries in her 62-year reign.
The Rome visit had been due to take place in March last year, however frustratingly for the hard-working monarch had to be cancelled after she fell ill with gastroenteritis.
Shortly after this Buckingham Palace announced she was unlikely to embark on long-haul travel in future.
Despite speculation this would mark the end for all foreign tours, the Queen and Prince Philip have another trip abroad to Normandy and Paris in June to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
However she is handing over most overseas responsibilities to younger generations including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who embark on a tour of Australia next week.
Today, was the Queen's fifth trip to Italy however prior engagements were longer and more formal, with most being full state visits.
Her last meeting with a Pope was in 2010 when Benedict XVI was enthusiastically welcomed to the UK with the pomp and ceremony of a state visit.
The Queen greeted him at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh with a ceremonial Guard of Honour.
By contrast, today's visit was far more personal - symbolic perhaps of this Pope's track record of avoiding the more formal aspects of the Papacy where he can.
Following Pope Benedict XVI's resignation in February last year, he has chosen not to live in the grand 17th Century papal apartment at the Apostolic Palace in favour of the simpler surroundings of the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse.
The Queen has a long history of making efforts to forge stronger ties between herself as head of the Church of England and the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
She first visited the Vatican in 1951 when she met Pope Pius XII and then returned in 1961 to meet Pope John XXIII.
In 1982 she became the first British monarch to welcome a reigning Pope to the UK when John Paul II visited Buckingham Palace.
The last time she came to the Vatican was in 2000 during a state visit, when in an all-black outfit Her Majesty visited Pope John Paul II.
Hamper gifts to the Pope from the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh with estate where they were sourced from:
Buckingham Palace
Honey
Windsor
Honey
Coronation Best Bitter
12 eggs
Rib of beef
Haunch of venison
Sandringham
Cox's apple juice
Sandringham cider
Blackcurrant cordial
Quince jelly
Plum preserve
Grandad's chutney
Apple and tomato relish
Sandringham homemade aromatherapy soap
Balmoral
Shortbread
Balmoral whisky
Worcestershire Berry jelly
Strawberry jam
Fortnum and Mason
Irish breakfast tea
Welsh rarebit smackerels
-Mirror.co.uk
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