King Charles Makes An Inclusive Promise To Religious Leaders About His Reign

The reign of King Charles III has received mixed reviews, and there have been a few missteps. Notably, Meghan Markle's new media ally released an article discussing His Majesty's "fussiness," and Trevor Noah roasted the king for his perpetual pen problems. But the new monarch has gotten positive feedback for putting a spotlight on inclusivity. On September 17, the Royal Family tweeted: "King Charles welcomed leaders of faiths to Buckingham Palace where he told them it was his duty to protect the 'diversity of our country' and space for faith."

According to a statement released by Omid Scobie on Twitter, Charles told the group that his plan involved "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." The king's message to the faith leaders broke new ground, according to Scobie. "There were no other religious leaders present at coronations in the past. Today's gathering of faith leaders—including those representating [sic] Jewish, Muslim and Bahaʼi communities—is a clear sign that Charles will want his (when it happens) to be reflective of society today," the Yahoo! News royal editor added.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, was pleased. Nichols tweeted: "I was privileged to be part of an Audience with King Charles ... I assured him that Catholics had continued in heartfelt prayer for his mother. He expressed his gratitude and asked me to ensure that Catholics know of his thanks & gratitude."