David Willey, esteemed BBC foreign correspondent, dies aged 93
Longtime BBC foreign correspondent David Willey has passed away at the age of 93. He was best known for his extensive coverage of the Vatican and his reporting on major historical events throughout the 20th century.
Why it matters
Willey was a foundational figure in broadcast journalism, providing decades of insight into global political and religious history.
Image caption, David Willey with Pope John Paul II during a flight from Bulgaria to Rome in 2002
David Willey, who served as a BBC foreign correspondent for more than half a century, has died aged 93.
He reported from Algeria, Vietnam and China, but is best known for his time in Rome as the BBC's Vatican correspondent, where he covered the papacies of five popes.
Widely regarded as one of the most experienced journalistic voices on the Vatican, Willey wrote a book on Pope Francis and was awarded an OBE for services to broadcast journalism.
He was still working well into his nineties - last year, after the death of Pope Francis, Willey reflected on how the Vatican had changed under the late pontiff .
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