In fact, like many monarchs throughout history, the Queen viewed her royal duty as a divinely appointed role. ‘I knew he had received a call from his people in some way, but more than that, he saw that his call came from God Almighty,’ he said. In a Christmas message, His late Majesty spoke of his ‘personal responsibility before God’.

King Charles’s relationship with the Anglican faith is said to have been somewhat more complex than his mother’s, but no less profound. To talk GuardIan Bradley, author God Save the King: The Sacred Nature of the MonarchKing Charles’ religious beliefs were influenced by the late Queen Elizabeth II. He compared it to Elizabeth’s. Bradley explained that Charles’ faith was ‘deeper and stronger, but more searching, more intellectual and more complex’ than the late Queen’s. He is clearly attracted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity and some aspects of Islam. ‘He’s interested in all kinds of spirituality.’

King Charles is known to have a deep but complex relationship with his spirituality – he is seen here displaying St Cuthbert’s pectoral cross during a tour of Durham cathedral in 2018.

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But while the King always felt a deep connection to his faith, his relationship with organized religion became fraught over the years. This week, a shocking letter From 1998 it was revealed that the then Prince of Wales felt as if the Anglican Church was ‘corrupted’ by ‘disgusting’ political correctness.