A letter penned by the King in 1998, when he was still the Prince of Wales, has surfaced, revealing his stark criticism of the Church of England for being “corrupted by loathsome political correctness”. In the correspondence, Charles expressed a growing affinity for the “timeless traditions” of the Greek Orthodox Church, stating: “They are the only ones that have not been corrupted by loathsome political correctness.”
Now 75, the King, whose late father was originally Greek Orthodox before converting to Anglicanism upon marrying the then Queen, has maintained strong connections with the Eastern church, known for its emphasis on traditional sacrament and scripture.
Over the past two decades, some critics have accused the Church of England—over which Charles now presides—of prioritising political correctness over Christian values. Additionally, within the same letter, the King voiced his disapproval of genetically modified crops.
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The letter, addressed to Royal interior designer Dudley Poplak who passed away in 2005, was one of six sold at Lay’s Auctions in Penzance, Cornwall, fetching £1,700. A spokesperson commented on the nature of the letter, saying: “It’s an intriguing letter. Royals aren’t supposed to make political remarks in public but these were in private correspondence.”
In other news, the King has leased a portion of his Sandringham Estate in Norfolk to Environment Bank, a firm dedicated to restoring wetlands, meadows, and ancient forests, reports the Mirror.
This company manages a portfolio of UK sites that developers can invest in to compensate for environmental damage caused by their construction projects.
This week, it was revealed that King Charles and Queen Camilla took a secret spa break following their demanding tour of Australia and Samoa. The Royal couple broke up their strenuous return journey from the South Pacific island of Samoa with a detour to India.
Here, they spent several days at the Soukya resort, renowned for its wellness programmes and Ayurvedic treatments. A host of celebrities, including Oscar winner Emma Thompson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, are known to have stayed at the £3,000-a-week resort near Bangalore.
The spa is no stranger to Charles and Camilla, who have visited on multiple occasions. In fact, it’s understood that Camilla also spent a few days at the resort earlier this month before heading to Australia to kick off the tour.