Prince William should abdicate the throne when he becomes King if he does not wish to become head of the Church of England, the late Queen Elizabeth’s former chaplain has said.
Dr Gavin Ashenden claimed the heir to the throne “doesn’t show any signs of being alive to the vibrancy of Christian faith”.
He accused William of not “understanding the monarchy” and its strong links to Christianity while he also urged him to either accept his role or step aside.
He told GB News: “William doesn’t show any signs of being alive to the vibrancy of Christian faith.
“And in that sense, he is very representative of his generation, but I don’t think he understands the monarchy because although lots of people have talked about disestablishing the Church of England and changing our constitutional arrangements, they’re immensely complex and they go back through 500 years of legislation…it would take an army of lawyers ten years to do it.
“So I think he either has to accept the fact that this is a role he plays, whether he likes it or not, which is part actually of the burden of monarchy, or if he feels that strongly and he can’t do it, then step aside and abdicate and see if there’s somebody else in the Royal succession who can.”
The late Queen’s former chaplain added that Europe has “lost the faith and is replacing it effectively with wokery”.
He claimed: “It’s hard to know how much the church has failed and how much the people don’t want something that disturbs our enjoyment of life.
“When people come close to death, suddenly it looks a bit different but it’s certainly true that he’s reflecting a discomfort with Christianity in Europe, but I think that’s to his loss and our loss.”
He said: “I don’t think it’s a virtue, not knowing what you’re doing here as a human being. It’s not a strength of character.”
Ashenden’s comments come after a new royal book suggested Prince William may be the British monarch in 500 years not to be head of the Church of England.
The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy by Robert Hardman suggested the heir to the throne lacks the “unshakeable devotion” to the Anglican church which characterised the reign of his Grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
