What Religion Is the Royal Family? A Look at Queen Elizabeth II s Church of England Beliefs
For Prince Louis’s christening in July 2018, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin, performed the ceremony at The Royal Chapel at St. James’s Palace in London. He also officiated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May earlier that year and baptized Meghan into the Church of England in March.
What religious denomination is the royal family?
The British Royal Family provides leadership for the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealths. The current head of the Royal Family is Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal Family is comprised of Queen Elizabeth II and her close relations. Members of the Royal Family are entitled to use the titles His or Her Royal Highness (HRH), or His or Her Majesty (HM). Her or His Majesty is used for a queen or king. His or Her Royal Highness is used for a prince or princess. The next in line to serve as His Majesty is Prince Charles, the son of Queen Elizabeth II. Members of the Royal Family officiate and attend over 2000 engagements each year. Engagements include recognition ceremonies, visits to Commonwealths, state funerals, state dinners, national festivities, garden parties, receptions and visits to the Armed Forces.
Answer and Explanation:
The religious denomination of the British Royal Family is the Church of England, which is a Protestant branch of Christianity. In fact,the reigning. See full answer below.
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What Religion Is the Royal Family? A Look at Queen Elizabeth II’s Church of England Beliefs
The royal family’s religion has a rich and interesting history.
By Lyndsey Matthews Updated: May 06, 2023 5:57 AM EST
Today, King Charles III is officially following in Queen Elizabeth II‘s footsteps as the next reigning monarch. During the coronation ceremony, led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, a series of important religious traditions are taking place, including an anointment not shown on TV. With these events unfolding for the first time in the 21st century, many are wondering what religion the royal family practices.
Before King Charles ascended to the throne, Queen Elizabeth was the Supreme Governor and Defender of the Faith of the Church of England, the state church of England that broke with Roman Catholicism in the 16th century.
According to the royal family’s website, these titles date back to King Henry VIII’s reign when he was given the title “Defender of the Faith” by Pope Leo X in 1521. However, when the pope refused to annul Henry VIII’s marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, after she failed to produce a male heir to the throne, the king renounced the Papacy’s authority in 1534 and divorced her.
After this historical break with Rome, Henry VIII established himself as the “the only supreme head of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia,” according to the BBC.
While Mary I tried to restore Roman Catholicism in England, her sister Elizabeth I declared herself the “Supreme Governor” of the Church of England when she took over the crown in 1558. Since then, the royal family has practiced Anglicanism, a form of Christianity.
Following in Queen Elizabeth’s footsteps, King Charles is now acknowledged as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Even so, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the head cleric of the church.
At the Queen’s 1953 coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed her and she took an oath to “maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England.”
As the Church of England spread throughout the world, it took on different names in different countries. This group of separate churches are known as the Anglican Communion, but the mother church is still the Church of England with the Archbishop of Canterbury as the united head of the communion.
For Prince Louis’s christening in July 2018, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin, performed the ceremony at The Royal Chapel at St. James’s Palace in London. He also officiated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May earlier that year and baptized Meghan into the Church of England in March.
Lyndsey Matthews is the Destination News Editor for AFAR; previously she was a Lifestyle Editor across all of Hearst Digital Media’s brands, and a digital editor at Martha Stewart Weddings and Travel + Leisure.