Harry Styles caught fans off guard during a momentous occasion in St. Peter’s Square, where a large crowd gathered to witness the election of the first American Pope at the Vatican.
On Thursday night, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that the College of Cardinals had chosen a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month at 88.
Shortly after his election, Pope Leo XIV, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevast, addressed the assembled crowd, which included several high-profile attendees like three Grammy Award winners.
Styles, attempting to blend in, sported a blue jacket, black pants, and a hat that proclaimed, “Techno is my boyfriend.”
One fan shared their experience, noting how they captured a photo of the 31-year-old “Watermelon Sugar” artist during the monumental announcement. “I was watching the Pope’s speech, and suddenly Harry Styles was right there—I just had to snap a picture,” they said, reflecting in Turkish.
The picture quickly went viral, igniting a flurry of commentary on social media. One user humorously remarked, “The Pope probably didn’t even realize he was waving at Harry Styles.”
Another added, “With Harry Styles around, you never know if there’s going to be a surprise appearance somewhere in Europe.” They were taken aback, thinking, “I knew he was in Italy, but this was unexpected.”
After wrapping up a sold-out tour in July 2023, Styles has been traveling the globe, especially following the release of his Grammy-winning album, “Harry’s House.”
Earlier in March, Styles had tested his limits by running the Tokyo Marathon, completing the full 26.2 miles in 3 hours and 30 minutes. He returned to London shortly after, where a rideshare driver spotted him and shared the encounter online.
In another amusing encounter, a fan noted how they struck up a conversation with a young companion who commented, “You sure sound like Harry Styles.”
In the following month, Styles surprised fellow runners when he joined the London Run Club, showing up in a rather laid-back outfit of jeans and loafers, which raised a few eyebrows among his fellow participants.
