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Prince Charles has been widely reported to be planning to modernise the Royal Family when he becomes king. According to reported leaked plans, some of the traits of his future reign will be on display during his coronation ceremony.
But royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams believes Prince Charles will stick to tradition and follow the Queen‘s example when it comes to his vow as head of the Church of England.
He told Express.co.uk: “When he is crowned, Charles will, in my view, opt to be ‘Defender of the Faith’ as he is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, not ‘of Faith’.
“There is much debate about this but it seems clear to me that Charles has adopted the Queen’s description of the role of the established church as an institution under which other religions can flourish.
“How long the church maintains its special links with the Crown, with congregations declining as they have been in our increasingly secular age, is a different matter.”
Prince Charles first spoke about being seen as defender “of faith” more than two decades ago as he was highlighting the multicultural nature of modern Britain.
This led to believe for several years the Prince of Wales would change the vow during his coronation ceremony.
However, in 2015, he made it clear what he meant during a recording of The Sunday Hour.
He told Diane Louise Jordan: “I said I would rather be seen as ‘Defender of Faith’, all those years ago, because, as I tried to describe, I mind about the inclusion of other people’s faiths and their freedom to worship in this country.
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“And it’s always seemed to me that, while at the same time being Defender of The Faith, you can also be protector of faiths.”
The Queen herself, he continued, said in her Diamond Jubilee address in 2012 the role of the Church of England was not to defend Anglicanism against all other religions.
He added: “Instead, the Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country.
“I think in that sense she was confirming what I was really trying to say – perhaps not very well – all those years ago.
“And so I think you have to see it as both. You have to come from your own Christian standpoint – in the case I have as Defender of the Faith – and ensuring that other people’s faiths can also be practised.”
Mr Fitzwilliam’s view on Charles’s vow appears to be backed also by a source who spoke to the Mail on Sunday – which recently reported details attributed to the preparation for Charles’s coronation, codenamed Operation Golden Orb.
While seemingly acknowledging discussions over which formula to use when it comes to the faith vow have taken place in the past, the insider said: “Charles will definitely be Defender of THE Faith.
“There’s been debate over that, but that’s certain.
“Charles was considered progressive 50 years ago when he spoke about inter-faith dialogue and that will certainly be part of the ceremony.
“He thinks of the UK as a community comprising different communities and you should expect all those communities represented.”
Among the claims made regarding the future coronation of Prince Charles, a source said it is set to be “shorter, sooner, smaller, less expensive” when compared to the ceremony held in June 1953 for the Queen.
The streamlined Royal Family will be in full display during this ceremony, it has been claimed.
And Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will be crowned as Queen Consort next to her husband.
Following reports of Operation Golden Orb, Clarence House stressed the coronation ceremony will start to be planned only after the end of the Queen’s reign.
A spokesman said: “The detailed planning for a Coronation begins at the point of accession.
“So there are no plans of this nature at this stage.”
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