Prince William fosters a “quiet faith” and sense of commitment to the Church of England, a source close to him has revealed.
Whilst the future King “doesn’t go to church every day”, a spokesperson told The Times he has a deep appreciation for the CofE’s role in British society.
The Prince’s faith, or lack of it, has been under speculation – but he now intends to “draw a line under the sand” ahead of attending Most Revd Sarah Mullally’s installation as Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday.
“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 source said.
“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.”
They added: “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 late Queen Elizabeth had a strong personal faith. As well as being the Church of England’s supreme governor, she frequently shared prayerful reflections in her Christmas and Easter messages.
As a younger man, William appeared more disconnected than his grandmother, with sources close to Lambeth Palace citing frustration at a lack of communication with Kensington Palace.
This seemed to only grow during a rift between the Wales and the Sussexes, as the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, acted as a confidant to Harry and Meghan in the run-up to their wedding.
However, that relationship splintered after Welby was forced to deny Meghan’s claims that he “secretly” married them in a private ceremony, days before their nuptials at St George’s Chapel.
“The legal wedding was on the Saturday," Welby told press. "I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document… I would have committed a serious criminal offence if I signed it knowing it was false."
The Prince of Wales is aware that his own relationship with the Archbishop of Canterbury will carry him through milestone moments in years to come; it will be the Archbishop who leads his coronation, and helps prepare him for the momentous service.
Kensington Palace wants to turn a “fresh page”. In February, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared tea and cake with Most Revd Sarah Mullally, and discussed “community engagement” within the Church and Royal Foundation.
An aide described the conversation as “warm and substantive”.
“[Archbishop Sarah] is also an Aston Villa fan,” they added, "which helps."