Several Christian denominations presented a Loyal Address to King Charles III at an event in Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
As part of the UK’s Privileged Bodies, the Quakers, the Catholic Church in England and Wales, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, and The Free Churches Group were able to thank the monarch for his work on the environment and religious persecution, among other areas of his campaign.
Only 27 groups are part of this long-held tradition that takes place to mark significant royal occasions, in this case, the coronation of King Charles III. They are chosen for their cultural significance and "reflect the United Kingdom’s diverse society, drawn from the education sector, as well as incorporating science, arts, and religious institutions".
Read by Leasa Lambert of the Black, Brown and People of Colour Quaker Fellowship, the address highlighted the King’s commitment to the climate crisis and emphasized that the solution requires “disrupting existing economic systems”.
As with many Loyal Addresses over the centuries, it also reiterated the Quaker peace testimony. “We may think wars end through force of arms or negotiation, but peace is maintained by building relationships, mutual dependency and shared prosperity,” Leasa Lambert read.
The last time Quakers addressed the monarch in this way was in 2012, when the then Queen, Elizabeth II, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. The first was in the late 17th century.
Representing the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nicholls also paid tribute to the King’s work with the climate crisis but added his gratefulness for his commitment to “the relief of poverty, to the promotion of beauty in architecture and living conditions, and your steadfast opposition to religious persecution”.
In his response speech, King Charles said he was “so very pleased” to see all 27 bodies present and expressed his “personal appreciation, as well as my admiration, for all the work that you and your colleagues continue to do”.
"I can assure you that your strong support will sustain me in the future, as it sustained my late mother and father in the past. That is why, together with The Queen Consort, I wish to express my deepest gratitude for the generosity with which you have renewed your pledges of loyalty and affection today."