Fellowship & Fairydust

By Elliott Malik

On King Charles III’s birthday, a piece from the Fellowship & Fairydust issue Happy & Glorious: A Royal Celebration, reflecting on the king’s coronation in 2023 and Britain’s monarchy history.

An investigation into how the King’s faith will affect his interactions with religion, including a preliminary overview of the history of monarch-state church relations and his constitutional role.

The King, the Constitutional Settlement, and the New Era

“The role and the duty of monarchy also remain, as does the Sovereign’s relationship and responsibility towards the Church of England. The church in which my own faith is so deeply rooted.” — from the first speech of HM the King as monarch

From Wessex to the United Kingdom, a golden thread has united our past, our present and our future. The monarchy has remained a focal point for all of us. Yet, during this time, the monarchy has transformed—from absolute to constitutional, Saxon to British, Catholic to Anglican. Throughout our history, the religious nature of the monarchy has been undoubted. From King Alfred the Great to King Charles III, our monarchy has always rested upon the sacred bedrock of the Church.

This settlement seemed sound, but it has been rocked by the recent move away from faith. The previous role of the monarch as the stalwart defender of the state church—and nothing else—seems to be in doubt. Indeed, the clamour for a separation of church and state ignores the serious constitutional ramifications for the monarchy.

Our king has his own beliefs, with a broader acceptance of other viewpoints being central to this. But he must work out how he will navigate this new era. Before an analysis of the King’s own beliefs, and how he may navigate through the religious tumult of his reign, can be made one must examine the history of monarch-church relations.

From the Saxons to Modernity

Reaching back to the origins of England, King Alfred the Great identified his role with the sacred. He was not simply a king and warrior. He greatly supported the Church, believing it to be a bulwark against the “divine retribution” of the Norse invasions. He wished to act upon his belief that it was his duty to look after the spiritual wellbeing of his people. This continued throughout the Anglo-Saxon era, with the Church providing a foundation around which Wessex, then England, could coalesce. The number of Anglo-Saxon royals who joined the clergy—many of whom would be canonised—attests to the deeply religious nature of monarchy at this time. Equally, the toleration and acceptance of the Benedictine revival indicated that the monarchs were interested in new theological arguments, as well as wishing to ensure that the Church operated in the best manner possible.

The medieval period saw the Church’s power being fully utilised by the monarchy. In this period, perhaps due to better documentation, the tensions between church and state grew dramatically. Initially, tensions were low, with King William the Conqueror acceding to many church demands—mainly due to the Papacy providing legitimacy for his conquest. However, the Church accepted the king as the ultimate authority over the Church, thus foreshadowing the conflicts of the future. Indeed, during the reign of King William II, cracks truly began to emerge. William II battled with Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, and this only settled due to the intervention of Pope Urban II. Through the reigns of Kings Henry I, Stephen, and Henry II, the balance between church and monarchy gradually deteriorated. The final act in this melodrama came with the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. However, as all who have studied medieval history know, at this point the monarchy did not have the power to threaten the Church and its supreme authority. Rather, Henry II was scourged by monks and prayed for a day and night in front of relics, before agreeing to restore all Church lands and privileges which he had removed.

The later mediaeval period saw a marked improvement in the relationship between the monarchy and the church. Beginning with King Richard I’s crusades (and ignoring King John’s unfortunate lack of piety), the institutions of church and monarchy were closely bound. This can be seen in the piety of Kings Henry III and Henry VI—Kings who even had miracles ascribed to them. Henry VI provides the image of a “Most Christian King.” His impact upon mediaeval church art and architecture cannot be overstated.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. With the end of the mediaeval period came the end of the old order. The early Tudor era saw many similarities with the previous era, with Henry VIII being granted the title “Defender of the Faith” by Pope Leo X. However, his marital strife led to the greatest social, cultural, and theological cataclysm in this Kingdom’s history: the Reformation. The relationship between church and monarchy collapsed, with the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII, and the Reformation reaching its Protestant peak under Edward VI. Whilst Queen Mary attempted to return England to the Catholic fold, this collapsed after her death. Only the reign of Queen Elizabeth I restored some calm, with a middle path being developed between Catholicism and Protestantism.

However, the Tudor period highlights an important aspect of the relationship between church and monarchy. The monarch did not need to obey the papacy to continue the merging of church and state. Rather, the English monarchy remained Christian and remained devoted to protecting the church—albeit this now being the Church of England, rather than the Catholic Church in England. The monarch would forever be the Defender of the Faith, with the Church being headed by—and defended by—the monarch.

After the tumult of the Tudor era, the Stewarts provided no respite. The era began promisingly, with King James I maintaining a steady ship. Puritanism was curtailed, an attempt was made to move the Scottish church closer to the CofE, and, most importantly, the greatest translation of the Bible in the English language was created. King Charles I continued his father’s work, but with a horrific conclusion. The unity of the church and the monarchy did not lead to a resolution of religious tension. Rather, it ended with a Puritan military dictatorship ruling over the Three Kingdoms, and the martyrdom of the King. Following the restoration of King Charles II, the troubles continued. King James II—a Catholic—was exiled, and a Dutch Protestant (William III) was imported to rule.

During the Stewart era, several new threads were woven into the relationship between monarch and state. Parliament’s role grew tremendously—with the Act of Succession ensuring that all Catholic claimants to the British throne would be excluded. Equally, the reign of King Charles the Martyr demonstrated the limits to the monarch’s power to protect and enhance the church directly.

The Georgian era cemented Anglicanism as the state church. Never again would Britain be at “risk” of returning to the Catholic faith. But this did not involve the monarchy being particularly active, theologically. Rather, this was facilitated by the crushing of the Jacobite uprisings and the Whig supremacy. During this time, perhaps due to there being no theological weight, an explosion of new Christian sects emerged. This was the first chink in the monopoly the Church of England had over its people.

The House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (latterly Windsor) has seen a continuation of this trend. The power of monarchy to influence the Church of England has waned, with no monarch publicly interfering in church affairs. This era has seen two important changes: the acceptance of different faiths and the explosive growth of atheism. Both have radically changed how the monarch deals with theology—even if through simple speeches. Whilst the Victorian era saw the last attempt by the establishment to stamp out religious dissent (the reaction to the Oxford Movement), the second Elizabethan era saw complete acceptance. Indeed, whilst Her late Majesty has become known as “Elizabeth the Great,” her greatness came through the constant highlighting of the importance of her faith. Even as the British population has moved from being almost universally Anglican to an Anglican minority state, members of the royal family have continued to discuss the important role that faith— Christian faith—holds.

What does this mean for our King? Certainly, we can assume that the King will not be a warrior king like Richard I. Nor will he attempt to crush any non-establishment (i.e., not the Church of England) faiths, as Henry VIII and Charles I attempted to do. The King may decide to follow the examples of Alfred the Great, Henry VI and James I: reinvigorating faith by providing a new intellectual stimulus. However, this would have to be done privately. His kingdom will not tolerate “interference.” In truth, it is likely that the King will continue as his mother did: discussing his faith, maintaining Anglican traditions, and demonstrating a keen interest in church matters. However, there will be one key difference. The King is profoundly ecumenical, and he will defend all faiths, even if his primary concern is the Church of England.

The King’s Constitutional Role

The King is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. As such, he appoints Bishops and Archbishops. Regarding the Scottish Church, the King must swear an oath to protect it and has the power to appoint the Lord High Commissioner of its Church Assembly.

However, these signs of power are, in reality, much reduced. The King appoints Bishops and Archbishops to the CofE on the advice of the Prime Minister. As mentioned, the King’s powers are now titular. Indeed, the Scottish Church demonstrates this with acuteness. The Lord High Commissioner is purely ceremonial, not even having historical powers to influence the church.

The King will not seek to amend any of this. His roles are clear and, as he has long maintained, he will act in accordance with his expected duties. If change comes, it will be due to Parliamentary or “popular” forces. As an example of these forces, one can see the debate caused by the Church of England’s decision to bless same-sex marriages. The King was not involved. Instead, he silently looked on as MPs and Peers called for the disestablishment of the state church, the Anglican Communion fractured, and the Church edged closer to civil war.

The King’s Ecumenical Nature

“…my heart goes out to all Christians who are being persecuted on account of their faith”— the (then) Prince of Wales, 2014

The King may be an Anglican, but it would be curious to expect him to be solely interested in Anglicanism. After all, he has vowed to protect the Church of Scotland and has close familial links to the Greek Orthodox Church. But his interest is not simply based upon family and duty. Rather, he believes that there is more that unites Christians than divides them.

The Orthodox Churches has been the main beneficiary of the King’s theological interest and largesse. The upcoming coronation will demonstrate this, with the inclusion of Greek Orthodox music. Equally, the King has been known to have a particularly deep interest in Transylvania—ironic, given his blood link to Vlad the Impaler. This interest has manifested in him, as Prince of Wales, donating money for the restoration of churches throughout the region. Apart from this, the King is a regular visitor to churches in Serbia and, in a nod to his Greek heritage, has found deep spiritual meaning amongst the monasteries of Mount Athos.

Whilst there are Catholic members of the Royal Family, none are immediate relations to the King. However, the King has demonstrated an impulse to engage with Catholic theology. One reason for this could be his penchant for aesthetics. Unlike the late Queen, the King is more of a High Church Anglican. Catholic liturgy is therefore more comfortable. Indeed, this appreciation may be the strongest since the Stewarts ruled our country. The King has met Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. These meetings have taken place in the United Kingdom and the Vatican City. Indeed, during a visit to the Vatican in 1985, his ecumenical nature almost caused an incident when he expressed a desire to attend Mass with John Paul II. He was only prevented from doing so when Our late Sovereign Lady personally intervened. Apart from papal visits, the King attended the funeral of John Paul II and the canonisation of Cardinal Newman. Outside of theology, the King has a great interest in environmentalism. His focus in this area is to secure the planet for future generations. In doing so, he is following the guidance of St Francis of Assisi, who, apart from founding the Franciscans, is the patron saint of ecology.

Within the Middle East, the Kind has attempted to create ties with the smaller and – perhaps—more ancient churches. The King has praised Middle Eastern churches for their resilience in the face of inordinate pressures. He has focused much time and attention on the plight of Christians in the region. Indeed, during his 2020 visit to the Holy Land, he attended an ecumenical service at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

As can be seen, the King desires to foster unity between the branches of Christianity. Though it would be a stretch to say he aims to repair the schisms, he desires tolerance between the branches and an exhortation that Christians should look to what unites them rather than divides them.

The King’s Bridge-Building Between Different Religions

“The roots of the faith that we share in the One God, the God of Abraham, give us enduring values’ — The (then) Prince of Wales, 1993

The King was a very close friend of the former Chief Rabbi of England, Johnathan Sacks. When he died, the King expressed real and deep despair over the loss. When visiting the Holy Land, the King expressed an appreciation of Judaism, particularly how it is the root religion of the Abrahamic faiths.

Regarding Islam, the King has a clear connection. This is not to do with the King being the alleged direct descendant of Muhammed (by 44 generations), but rather due to his belief that Islam has much to offer the Western world. This does not mean he will prefer Islam to Christianity, but it is a signal that he believes different groups can learn from one another. In particular, the King believes that Islam has much to teach Christianity about having an integrated view of the universe—something he believes Christianity has lost. This is unsurprising, Islamic ritual holds many relics of ancient Christian liturgy.

Cross-referencing between the two faiths, as the King has indicated he would support, could illuminate lost doctrines, proving that (apart from the obvious fundamental differences) the two faiths are not destined to be in a civilisational war. Equally, returning to environmentalism, the King understands that the Quran provides limits to nature’s abundance. This accords with his belief that our world is not one of infinite bounty. The King has studied the Quran because he believes that one must closely consider other faiths to truly understand what they are about. Equally, he signs letters to Islamic leaders in Arabic. Whilst only a small gesture, it indicates his deep respect for Islam. Indeed, the King criticised a Danish magazine for publishing cartoon images of the Prophet Muhammed, warning that there should be respect for “what is sacred and precious to others.” The King has attempted to use his influence to improve the study of Islam, being the Patron of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. Equally, and perhaps most importantly, he founded Mosaic, an organisation dedicated to providing opportunities to young British Muslims.

Whilst the King has focused on Abrahamic religions, he has time for the other major faiths of the United Kingdom. He has visited many Gurdwaras and Hindu temples. In particular, the King has praised the St John’s Centre in Southall, London, which hosts an interfaith community comprising Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus. The King also recognised the work the Sikh community has undertaken to promote interfaith relations, highlighting how members of the community rallied during the London Riots of 2011 to stand in front of—and protect—mosques and temples.

The King has an interest in inter-faith dialogue. Similarly, to his ecumenical desires, the King will hope to inculcate tolerance between different faiths and to ask different religions to look beyond what divides them to what, even if small, they can agree upon.

How Will the King Deal With Religion — How Will This Differ From the Past?

“It is the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for faith itself and its practice through the religions, cultures, traditions, and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals” — from the first speech of HM the King as monarch

Fundamentally, the King is not dogmatic. Whilst a man of deep faith, his spiritual nature and intellectual curiosity mean he will be a bridge-building monarch. As the Defender of the Faith, he will be the head of the Church of England and he will continue to be guided by her message. However, as a “Defender of Faith,” his care and attention will spread to all faiths. He will continue to promote interfaith dialogue and he will continue to emphasise similarities over differences. As when Prince of Wales, he will protect different faiths from whatever threatens them. It will be interesting to see whether he becomes vocal about the increasing tendency for atheists to attack religious faith. Whilst the King was silent about the issue of same-sex marriage within the Church of England—presumably deeming it to be a purely theological issue—he must have noted the anti-religious rhetoric directed at the Church.

In this monarch, guided by spiritualism and intellectual curiosity, we see a break from the past. Whilst Our late Sovereign Lady created room for her increasingly multi-faith subjects, the King will be the first to fully embrace other faiths. This may worry some, but it is a cause for excitement. We have a king who will explore how his role can improve the lot of religion as a whole in this increasingly atheistic society. A king who emphasises ecumenicism in a country where Christians seem to fight ever more bitterly over a rapidly diminishing pool of faithful. A king who, with the firm faith of St. Edward the Confessor, King Henry VI, and Queen Elizabeth the Great, will act as perhaps the most important religious figure within this United Kingdom.

So, on coronation day, let us celebrate this resurgence of an intellectual monarchy unseen since the days of King Charles the Martyr. Let us support the King in his endeavours to promote peace, reconciliation, and faith within society. But, most importantly, let us all join in that immortal anthem and prayer: 

“God Save the King! Long Live the King!”