Prince William is reestablishing his commitment to the Church of England and his “quieter” approach to faith ahead of his role as future King.
The Prince of Wales is set to attend the Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement this week and has met with Dame Sarah Mullally for tea in a bid to “draw a line in the sand” on the topic.
Unlike his father, King Charles, and the late Queen Elizabeth II, the 43-year-old is not a regular churchgoer and largely attends during family and formal occasions, with an aide telling The Sunday Times that he is keen to “build a strong and meaningful bond” with the church before becoming supreme governor.
An aide to William told the newspaper: “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.”
The aide added that the prince intends to approach the relationship as his “authentic self” and understands the role he will inherit from his father.
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’.”
Prince William was baptised at six weeks old and confirmed at the age of 14, but has failed to build a substantial relationship with Lambeth Palace.
However, Dame Mullally, a former chief nursing officer for the NHS, has offered a new opportunity for the future king, with it thought that the two had bonded over their mutual support for football team Aston Villa.
Both he and the Princess of Wales met with the new Archbishop last month and discussed the role of the church over tea and cake.
A royal aide said: “The prince recently had a warm and substantive conversation with the new archbishop, reflecting his genuine interest not only in the Church’s work, but in its role as a guardian of a distinctive and ancient English spiritual tradition that remains relevant in contemporary life.”
A source close to Dame Mullally said she is “delighted” that the Waleses will attend her installation and the improving relationship is “wonderful”.
We would love the [future] supreme governor to be at church every Sunday, but one has to be practical around the fact that they are a couple with young children,” the source said.
