Prince William "has to accept" his future role as head of the Church of England or "step aside and abdicate," Queen Elizabeth II's former chaplain says.
Gavin Ashenden told GB News he believed reports in a bombshell royal book by Daily Mail journalist Robert Hardman that William may shun his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy quotes a senior palace figure who says William "is not instinctively comfortable in a faith environment."
Ashenden, the queen's chaplain from 2008 to 2017, said: "I think it's very interesting and it's almost certainly true. 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.
"What we could do is have a referendum and have a republic and start all over again. Lot's of countries do that. But unpicking and unwinding our present arrangements are beyond the scope of our resources. 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."
Hardman wrote in his book: "The prospect of there being a future monarch who is not head of the Commonwealth is not nearly as big a leap of the royal imagination, however, as having a monarch who is not Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
"In royal circles, it is no secret that he does not share the King's sense of the spiritual, let alone the late Queen's unshakeable devotion to the Anglican church."
A senior palace figure told Hardman: "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 then nor do the large majority of the country. He might go at Christmas and Easter, but that's it.
"He very much respects the institutions, but he is not instinctively comfortable in a faith environment."
Jack Royston is Newsweek's chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Royston is Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent based in London, U.K. He reports on the British royal family—including King Charles ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
