I want to protect all faiths, says King

THE King last night set out what kind of monarch he wants to be, telling faith leaders at Buckingham Palace he believes it is his ‘duty’ to protect the diversity of the country including ‘religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs’.

He said his own Christian beliefs, which ‘have love at their very heart’, allowed him to accept, respect and protect the views of others.

The King, who has long made clear that despite being Supreme Governor of the Church of England he wants to be defender of ‘faith’ – as well as ‘the faith’ – told the religious leaders, which included the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi, the British Board of Scholars and Imams and the General Secretary of the Hindu Council, of an ‘additional duty’ he believes he has. ‘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,’ he said.

The King also spoke yesterday of his concern about the cost of living crisis.

Wales’s First Minister Mark Drakeford, who met the King during the day, told TalkTV: ‘He mentioned the impact of the cost of living crisis. He is concerned as to how people will manage through what is going to be a difficult winter.’