Prince William Practices &x27;Quiet&x27; Faith Despite Destiny as Head of Church of England Meredith KileMon, March 23, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTC 0 Prince William attends the Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince William will be the future head of the Church of England when he becomes king one day A source close to the prince recently told The Sunday Times about the royal heir's thoughts about faith This week, William and Kate Middleton will attend the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury As the future monarch, Prince Wi...
Prince William Practices 'Quiet' Faith Despite Destiny as Head of Church of England
Meredith KileMon, March 23, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTC
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Prince William attends the Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty -
Prince William will be the future head of the Church of England when he becomes king one day
A source close to the prince recently told The Sunday Times about the royal heir's thoughts about faith
This week, William and Kate Middleton will attend the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury
As the future monarch, Prince William will one day be the head of the Church of England. However, his approach to religion differs from that of his immediate predecessors, Queen Elizabeth and King Charles.
While the Prince of Wales, 43, attends religious services with the royal family on major holidays — including the walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on Christmas Day— he's not known to attend weekly worship like his father and grandmother before him.
Ahead of William and Kate Middleton, 44, attending the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, a source close to the prince told The Sunday 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."
"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.' "
Prince William and Kate Middleton with their children on June 14, 2025Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
An aide to William told the outlet that the royal's commitment to the Church of England is "sometimes quieter than people expect, and for that reason it is not always fully understood."
"Those who know him well recognize 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," the aide continues. "Faith, service and responsibility are themes that have long shaped the role he will one day inherit, and they are things he approaches in his own thoughtful way."
Last month, Prince William and Princess Kate visited Mullally, 63, the first-ever female to hold the position of Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth Palace.
Kate Middleton and Prince William meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, on Feb. 5, 2026Credit: Aaron Chown - Pool/Getty
"The prince recently had a warm and substantive conversation with the new archbishop, reflecting his genuine interest not only in the Church's work, but in its role as a guardian of a distinctive and ancient English spiritual tradition that remains relevant in contemporary life," a royal said, per The Sunday Times. "The prince and princess both feel it's important to build up that relationship, and a new archbishop is a really great opportunity for that."
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Working in her favor in terms of winning over Prince William? "She's also an Aston Villa fan, which helps," the royal source quipped.
Following her meeting with William and Kate, Mullally said in a statement, "It was a privilege to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales to Lambeth Palace today. I know we hold the same hope for a better world, and I look forward to working together in the years to come. I will continue to hold them and their family in my prayers."
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Royal author Robert Hardman pointed out in his 2024 book, The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, that William is not as devout as his father.
"In royal circles, it is no secret that he does not share the King's sense of the spiritual, let alone the late Queen's unshakeable devotion to the Anglican church," Hardman said.
However, those close to him have said that the Prince of Wales is a reflection of modern Britain, where church-going is dwindling.
"[William's] father is very spiritual and happy to talk about faith, but the prince is not. He doesn't go to church every Sunday, but then nor do the large majority of the country," Hardman wrote. "He might go at Christmas and Easter, but that's it. He very much respects the institutions, but he is not instinctively comfortable in a faith environment.'"
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Published: March 23, 2026 at 09:09PM on Source: RON MAG
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