Prince William had a Sussex-related reason for not being religious before now

For several years now, Prince William’s “king-in-waiting” brand has taken some twists and turns. For one, there are serious questions about his literacy after multiple royal biographers have emphasized that he’s “not a reader” and he prefers to be briefed verbally as opposed to simply reading his briefing materials. Those same sycophantic royal biographers have also stated somewhat plainly that William is not religious in the least, that he hates going to church for any reason, and he’s not really committed to the Church of England. As I said, these are pro-William royalists pointing this out, not his biggest critics. This has been an ongoing conversation for a while, that William’s ambivalence about becoming the Supreme Governor of the Church of England is a huge issue. Well, problem solved, you guys! According to a new Times piece by Roya Nikkhah, William will come back to the Church of England in a big way now that there’s a new Archbishop of Canterbury. As it turns out, William hasn’t been ambivalent about Christianity this whole time – he was just mad that the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was friendly with Prince Harry and Meghan.

The Prince of Wales has revealed his “quiet faith” and “commitment to the Church of England”, in a significant move redefining his role as future King and supreme governor. William, 43, is not a devout Christian nor a regular churchgoer like the King and the late Queen Elizabeth. His commitment to his Christian faith has long been questioned.

Days before he attends the Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement this week, Prince William has moved to “draw a line in the sand” on the issue. After years of doubt, William, who was baptised at six weeks old and confirmed at the age of 14, has addressed questions for the first time about his personal faith and confirmed his wish to establish “a strong and meaningful bond with the Church and its leadership”.

A source close to the prince said: “This week is an opportunity to be very clear in people’s minds, when he walks into Canterbury Cathedral, of where he stands. For him, it is a drawing of a line in the sand of where he’s at and it’s really important that it [the question over his commitment to the Church] is cleared up. His feeling is, ‘I might not be at church every day but I believe in it, I want to support it and this is an important aspect of my role and the next role and I will take it very seriously, in my own way’.”

The prince will attend the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday with the Princess of Wales, on behalf of the King. It is protocol for the heir to attend, rather than the monarch.

An aide to William told The Sunday Times: “The Prince of Wales’s commitment to the Church of England is sometimes quieter than people expect, and for that reason it is not always fully understood. Those who know him well recognise that his connection to the Church, and to the sense of duty that comes with it, runs deep and is grounded in something personal and sincere. Faith, service and responsibility are themes that have long shaped the role he will one day inherit, and they are things he approaches in his own thoughtful way. At a time when institutions can be seen simply through a social or cultural lens, he understands that the Church’s role goes beyond this. It is not only part of the nation’s heritage, but a living expression of faith, rooted in prayer, compassion and a belief in grace and redemption.”

William’s stance on his relationship with the Church, which he feels reflects the nation’s shifting attitudes towards Christianity, will be seen as a sign of how he plans to reign as King. The aide added: “True to his character, he approaches these relationships as his authentic self. As he looks ahead to the responsibilities he will one day assume as supreme governor, he is keen to build a strong and meaningful bond with the Church and its leadership, one that respects tradition while speaking to a modern Britain, and reflects his broader belief that institutions must continue to remain relevant and connected to the people they serve. He understands the importance of the role he will inherit and is committed to carrying it forward with sincerity, authenticity and a clear sense of purpose.”

William’s desire to build a meaningful relationship with Mullally, 63, who is the first female Archbishop of Canterbury and an Aston Villa fan like the prince, is a significant development. Appointed last year, she replaced the Right Rev Justin Welby, who resigned in November 2024 over his handling of the case of John Smyth, a prolific sex abuser. During Welby’s 11-year tenure, he and his team repeatedly tried and failed to establish a bond with William, which baffled and frustrated Lambeth Palace.

Several sources with knowledge of the situation said Welby’s previous closeness to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, from whom William is estranged, had played a part. Welby became a confidant to Harry and Meghan in the run-up to their 2018 wedding at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, at which he officiated, and as their tensions with the royal family escalated.

[From The Times]

This is so typical of William, who believes that telling is the same as showing. Instead of (literally) showing up to church or trying to embody Christian values of forgiveness, humility, compassion, love and sacrifice, he believes that he can just tell people that he’s good with God and he’s going to inherit all of this anyway, so why bother learning anything or trying to embody anything. The fact that the Welby-Sussex excuse was used here is incredible too – oh, William never wanted a relationship with the church he will one day act as supreme governor, but he had a good reason! The previous Archbishop of Canterbury gave religious counsel to Harry and Meghan in 2018, that’s why!! William literally seethes and holds grudges against people who were NICE to Harry and Meghan eight years ago. Such a Christian! “You were nice to my brother, therefore I will never go to church because I AM SO MAD.” You cannot make this up. Well, Kensington Palace can.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.