The Prince of Wales has disclosed his “quiet faith” and “commitment to the Church of England,” ending years of speculation about his religious beliefs.William, 43, is neither a devout Christian nor a frequent churchgoer like the King and the late Queen Elizabeth.As a result, his dedication to the Church he will one day lead has faced persistent questioning.But just days before he attends the Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement this week, the Prince has chosen to “draw a line in the sand” on the matter.In an extraordinarily in-depth profile, a source close to William told The Times: “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.”William was baptised at six weeks old, and confirmed aged 14.The source added: “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.'”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.William will be in attendance at Canterbury Cathedral for Dame Sarah Mullally’s Enthronement as Archbishop of Canterbury | GETTY”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.”His approach to the Church signals an evolution from previous monarchs, whose strong faith was publicly a core tenet of their reigns.William is pushing to build “a strong and meaningful bond” with the Church and its leadership, which respects tradition while “speaking to a modern Britain”, the source said.In particular, the Prince is said to want to forge a meaningful relationship with Dame Sarah Mullally, 63, who will be ceremonially installed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25.Dame Sarah will become the first woman to hold the post – and, like the Prince, supports Aston Villa.
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William’s approach to the Church, which he will lead as King, signals an evolution from previous monarchs | GETTY’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,’ a source said | GETTYWilliam is said to be mindful that Dame Sarah will likely officiate at his coronation, and will prepare him for his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England – her boss.She replaced Justin Welby, who resigned in November 2024 over his handling of the John Smyth abuse case.Throughout his tenure, he and his team is said to have repeatedly attempted to establish a bond with William but failed – to the frustration of Lambeth Palace.Several sources with knowledge of the situation said Mr Welby’s closeness to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had played a part.He became a confidant to Harry and Meghan before their 2018 wedding at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, which he officiated.Their friendship later cooled after Meghan claimed in her Oprah Winfrey interview that the archbishop had secretly married them three days before the ceremony – which he denied.Dame Sarah Mullally, currently walking to Canterbury on a pilgrimage, will be ceremonially installed as the new Archbishop on March 25 | GETTYLast month, the Prince and Princess of Wales met Dame Sarah at Lambeth Palace | GETTYLast month, the Prince and Princess of Wales met Dame Sarah at Lambeth Palace, and discussed the Church’s work and the Royal Foundation over tea and cake.The talks were said to have been “warm and substantive”.A source revealed how the Prince was “genuinely interested” in both the Church’s work and its “role as a guardian of a distinctive and ancient English spiritual tradition that remains relevant in contemporary life”.Meanwhile, a source close to the next Archbishop described the duo’s relationship as “a turning of a page” which has already increased communication between Kensington Palace and Lambeth Palace.”The Prince and the Archbishop are both passionate about it [the Church] not being a private members’ club and making it accessible and relevant,” the source said.