Royal historian Alexander Lamon has questioned King Charles's decision to reference other religions in his Easter message, suggesting it was not the appropriate "time and place" for such mentions.
Speaking to GB News, Lamon acknowledged the King's "sincere interest in other religions" but expressed reservations about including Judaism and Islam in what is traditionally a Christian message.
King Charles delivered his Easter message during the Royal Maundy Service at Durham Cathedral, reflecting on what he called "one of the puzzles of our humanity".
The 76-year-old monarch highlighted humanity's capacity for "both great cruelty and great kindness" in his annual Maundy Thursday address.
King Charles delivered his Easter message today
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"The love God showed when he walked the Earth is reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions," the King stated in his message.
Speaking on GB News, Tom Harwood asked: "What should we make of this Christian Easter message? That he goes out of his way to mention other religions?"
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Lamon said: "Well, it's funny because I actually looked at his previous Easter message from last year, and it's much more conventional because bear in mind then, he had just been diagnosed with cancer and his daughter-in-law had just been diagnosed with cancer.
"So as you can imagine, there was a slightly downbeat tone to it. But this year it seems very strange because at first glance, he's the King.
"He's the defender of the Christian faith. He is the most high profile Christian figure we have in the country, apart from perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury.
"And that's a vacant position at the moment. But you would have expected a very straightforward message. And some of the message is quite straightforward.
"The shout-outs to Judaism and Islam, you think, well, why has he done that? On the one hand, I think Charles does have a sincere interest in other religions.
This isn't just some sort of bizarre thing he's been roped into saying, what you can't help wondering is, was this really the time and place?
"Because ultimately, Easter has a special significance for Christian faith, not for the Jewish faith or the Islamic faith."
The King and Queen attended the Maundy Service together at Durham Cathedral, participating in a ceremony that dates back to the 13th century.
The royal historian questioned the time and place of the message
GB NEWS
During the service, they handed out coins to 76 men and 76 women, with the number corresponding to the King's age.
The Royal Maundy gifts are given to recognise recipients' outstanding Christian service and their contributions to their local communities.
The tradition is a significant part of the royal Easter celebrations, reflecting the humble act of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the royal couple viewed a special exhibition of the Cathedral's Magna Cartas, on display for the first time in eight years.
