King Charles met the founder of YOOX Net-a-Porter during his recent visit to Italy.
Speaking with People Magazine, Federico Marchetti, who has worked alongside the monarch, reflected on reunion with King Charles as he toured the Basilica of St. Vitale and Mausoleum of Galla Placidia on April 10, 2025.
Federico said, “The fact that I was there, among the mosaics of my hometown — where I left at 18 to study in Milan and never returned permanently — and that now even King Charles, whom I work alongside, was visiting…it all felt truly magical.”
He went on to add, “I’ve always thought of my life as a mosaic: every choice, every project, every beloved place has been like a small tile that, over time, helped compose a larger, harmonious, and precise design. One must dream bi but with the patience of a craftsman.”
“What a joy it was to watch the King, amazed, appreciate the incredible mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale — mosaics he had surely read about in detail in the book Ravenna by Judith Herrin, which I gave him as a gift several years ago,” Federico noted.
Notably, King Charles also did the honours of placing the final tile in the mosaic that depicted him and Queen Camilla on their coronation day, during his interaction with the students.
“A tangible sign of his ongoing commitment to youth education and of his deep connection to art — a thread that runs throughout his life,” Federico said.
King Charles and Queen Camilla received the mosaic of them as a gift from Ravenna.