In his Easter message of 17 April 2025, His Majesty King Charles III drew on our shared Abrahamic heritage, highlighting 3 values in particular: faith, hope, and love, to call for unity across Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. He further declared that “the greatest of these is love” in a moving plea that transcends theological divides.
This echoes his decision, decades earlier, in a 1994 documentary, to drop the “the” and be titled the “Defender of Faith” as opposed to “the Faith”, an important symbolic commitment to the free practice of religion in modern Britain, one of the great achievements of this country, and one that Pickthall House celebrates and endeavours to protect. He highlighted at the time that this change would “embrace all religious traditions and ‘the pattern of the divine, which I think is in all of us’”.
This recognition of other faiths, however, does not entail a downgrading of Christianity’s symbolic role in British public life. Rather, it invites the elevation of other faiths alongside it. King Charles’ framing as “Defender of Faith” demonstrates this balance: it does not seek to diminish the historic role of the Church of England, but to expand the monarchy’s embrace of the spiritual diversity now characteristic of the nation. King Charles’ coronation in 2023, while rooted in Anglican liturgy, incorporated representatives of other major world religions, reflecting this ethos of inclusive tradition.
Upon accession to the throne, he further reaffirmed “the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by 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”.
Given the current political backdrop of conflict in the Middle East and communal tension at home, these interventions underscore a profound commitment to pluralism, solidarity, and fundamentally, freedom.
Even Muslim MPs have spoken in defence of preserving Christian prayers in Parliament, demonstrating that affirming pluralism is not synonymous with marginalising Christianity. Rather, it is about levelling up other religions, not levelling down the faith that has historically shaped Britain.
Our King elucidates, “There are three virtues that the world still needs — faith, hope and love. ‘And the greatest of these is love.’ Here, he knits together core Christian teachings with the Jewish ethic of Hesed (loving-kindness) and the Islamic principle of Rahma (mercy).
He continues, “One of the puzzles of our humanity is how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness…heroic acts in war-torn countries where humanitarians of every kind risk their own lives to protect the lives of others.”
Here, the King honours the compassion and moral potential inherent in people of all faiths in humanitarian relief—a timely reminder of our shared moral responsibility at protecting the sanctity of life, and our values.
Going further, he says, “The love He showed when he walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger…and in the hearts of all who seek the good of others.”
Following his accession, the King reaffirmed that “other people’s faiths can also be practised”, describing this inclusive stance as a central duty of the Church of England. In 2022, he told faith leaders he felt a “personal duty to protect (the religious) diversity of our country”, once again highlighting Britain’s evolving multicultural identity. His record of patronage, which includes the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and the Council of Christians and Jews, further testifies to his lifelong commitment to interreligious dialogue and communal harmony.
All in all, Pickthall House commends and celebrates King Charles III for offering a Britain-in-crisis a vision of unity and hope centred on moral value, rooted in pluralist solidarity and tolerance, and ultimately protective of liberty. His leadership exemplifies how a modern monarchy can champion both cultural heritage and interfaith harmony.
