When Prince William is crowned king, he may break with long-standing royal tradition.
In an excerpt from royal biographer Robert Hardman's new book The Birth of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, obtained by the Daily Mail , Hardman speculates that the Prince of Wales may reject the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England When he ascended the throne.
The title has been given to British monarchs since the reign of King Henry VIII in the 1530s. However, according to the book, Prince William does not have the same devotion to the Anglican Church as his father, King Charles III, or his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
"It was well known in royal circles that he did not share the King's spiritual views, let alone the late Queen's unwavering loyalty to the Anglican Church," Hardman wrote in excerpts published by the Daily Mail.
"His father is very spiritual and happy to talk about faith, but the prince is not. He doesn't go to church every Sunday, but neither does most of the country. He might go at Christmas and Easter, but that's about it. That’s all,” the author added.
King Charles' faith 'deeply rooted'
While Prince William may not accept the title of Supreme Governor, the author stresses that he has "great respect for the institutions of the British monarchy" but "feels instinctively uncomfortable in a faith environment."
In September 2022, King Charles III became Supreme Governor of the Church of England following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth. In his first speech as king, Charles said his faith was "deeply rooted" in the Anglican Church.
While William's future reign may be less faith-driven, the senior royal attended the monarchy's annual church service at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham on Christmas Day 2023.
Along with the King and Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales attended the funeral with his wife Kate Middleton and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, whose Christmas outfits marked the royal family's Debut.
