Charles is turning into the ‘Convenor King’ – defending all religions, not just Christianity, writes CATHERINE PEPINSTER. Now he needs his family to hear the message of unity…

Thirty years ago, Charles's interest in religion was considered controversial.

His admission to biographer Jonathan Dimbleby that he wanted to be 'defender of the faith', rather than Defender of the Faith – the title our monarchs have used for 500 years – raised alarm bells, especially in the Church of England.

He eventually rowed back and declared unequivocally that he was Defender of the Faith at his accession ceremony last year. It was a title mentioned many times during his Accession Council and in proclamations across the country.

Charles, however, is nothing if not determined, and there are signs that he has it both ways: that as supreme governor of the Church of England, he is a committed Anglican, like his late mother.

Charles III is crowned in Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming Supreme Governor of the Church of England and defender of the faith

The King meets Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis during a reception with faith leaders at Buckingham Palace following the death of Queen Elizabeth I

Charles and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, pictured at their respective coronations, wearing the Imperial State Crown, orb and scepter in hand. Like his mother, King Charles is religious, but he also inherited his father's curiosity about faith

The king, recently crowned with the St. Edward's Crown, appears to be reflecting on the moment

But that, as he suggested in 1994, he is indeed also the Defender of the Faith – and of all those among his new subjects who believe in God.

We saw this in his Christmas message, which, widely circulated as a meditation on the environment, was more deeply religious – and more openly embraced other religions – than most expected.

In fact, his opening words were: “Many of the festivals of the world's great religions are celebrated with a special meal.”

Before we conclude: 'The care of this creation is the responsibility of people of all religions and of no religion. We care for the earth for the sake of our children's children.

'In my lifetime I have been so happy to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the common home we all share.

And that: 'such values ​​are universal and unite our Abrahamic family of religions and other belief systems across the Commonwealth and around the world.'

Within days of becoming king, Charles called a meeting of religious leaders at Buckingham Palace and made his views clear: He told them he had a duty to protect religions of all kinds.

Since then there have been countless visits to churches, synagogues and temples.

For the king has taken on an unprecedented role for himself that no other monarch has ever played before: as a mediator of conversations, helping to build religious dialogue even when there are obvious tensions between people of different faiths.

Charles's work took on new urgency after the Hamas atrocity on October 7 and the subsequent attacks on Gaza by the Israeli army.

Six weeks later, the king joined faith leaders at an event at Lambeth Palace, hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, to hear from people about what was happening in Britain amid reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain and also attacks on Muslims.

He was so concerned about what he heard that he cleared his calendar to make room for another meeting, this time of faith leaders and grassroots activists.

That took place a week ago at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II delivered what would prove to be her last Christmas message in December 2021. In later years, the Christmas broadcasts had become more overtly religious.

The Queen leaves St George's Chapel after a service to mark Prince Philip's 80th birthday in 2010

As one of the attendees put it: 'He arranged it at breakneck speed. He wanted to show support and listen and learn.”

There was no talk of status at the ceremony: Charles sat at round tables in a palace meeting room and spoke to people involved in community reconciliation, using the meeting skills he developed over many years as Prince of Wales had developed.

Although his late mother, Elizabeth II, was also interested in various religions, this 'convenor king' approach shows something of the restless curiosity he inherited from his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip spoke to a range of organizations and faith groups and encouraged them to come together and meet in Windsor.

Charles has taken up the mantle and urged faith leaders and activists to gather again in Windsor early next year.

In past decades, this work has almost exclusively involved men, but the King was also keen to hear from the women involved.

King Charles, wearing the St Edward's crown, will be surrounded by faith leaders during his coronation in May

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby help sort clothes as they join other faith leaders at the Big Help Out, one of the post-coronation events

The Chief Rabbi will make his way to the coronation on Saturday, May 6, avoiding mechanized transportation and observing Sabbath laws. The king had made special provision for the Chief Rabbi, by providing overnight accommodation within walking distance of the abbey

King Charles III and Queen Camilla speak with Manoj Malde, an ambassador for inclusivity, and Clive Gillmor after their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony at the Chelsea Flower

This Christmas, people were reminded how important it is for the King to interact with people of different faiths when a BBC One documentary, presented by the Daily Mail's Robert Hardman, was broadcast on Boxing Day, taking viewers inside the coronation in May.

For the first time ever, the coronation of a monarch involved not only the Church of England, but also other Christian denominations and other religions.

The Protector of Religions insisted that they participate.

In the meantime, it is sad that a man who has built a role for himself with Charles the Peacemaker still has to resolve the conflict in his own family.

• Catherine Pepinster is the author of Defenders of the Faith – the British monarchy, Religion and the Coronation, published by Hodder and Stoughton