King Charles called 'woke' by Boris Johnson in disagreement over Britain's colonialist past

Johnson "went in quite hard" on the monarch after Charles admitted he wanted to "acknowledge the evils" of colonialism in Britain's past.

The disagreement sparked after Charles had described the conservative government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as "appalling", according to political journalist Tim Shipman.

In his book on Brexit, titled Out, Shipman revealed that Charles feared the Rwanda policy would create tension at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

Now head of the Commonwealth, King Charles "revealed that he wanted to respond to the widespread fury about colonialism unleashed by the Black Lives Matter campaign, by acknowledging the evils of slavery."

Shipman wrote: "Johnson, despairing that even the monarchy had been captured by woke ideology, was blunt."

The book claims Johnson told his communications director, Guto Harri: "I went in pretty hard."

The former prime minister criticised the royal for interfering with Government policy.

Although the King is the head of state, he is constitutionally required to follow the government's advice and not interfere with policies.

Shipman wrote that Charles replied: "Well maybe, inadvertently, without intention I may have said something."

Charles addressed the Commonwealth Heads: "I cannot describe the depth of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery's enduring impact."

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King Charles made his first speech as Head of the Commonwealth at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, during his tour of the South Pacific in October.

He addressed Commonwealth leaders from around the world in Apia at the first meeting held on the Pacific Island of Samoa.

Although the King did not apologise for Britain's past, he acknowledged the subject and said "Let us learn from the lessons of the past" and "We must find the right ways to address it."

He told the Commonwealth leaders: "None of us can change the past, but we can commit with all our hearts to learn its lessons. The Commonwealth can discuss the most challenging issues with openness and respect."