Queen Elizabeth II would see King Charles’s reign as a “disaster” so far, the late monarch’s former chaplain has claimed. Dr Gavin Ashenden also slammed the King as “woke” and said he is “falling short of what’s expected”.
Appearing on the controversial podcast The Karl Stefanovic Show, Ashenden did not hold back when asked what Queen Elizabeth would think of her son’s tenure. He lashed out at the King after Buckingham Palace changed the official documents that described the monarch as the “Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith” to “His Majesty is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and protects the space for Faith within the multi-faith nation”. Although the King has not legally changed his title of “Defender of the Faith”, Ashenden insists that he has “got caught up in something that pleases him”.
He told Stefanovic: “Evidently, we have a woke King. Coincidentally, we have a King who can’t think straight despite having had the best possible education.
“He has got caught up in something that pleases him, which is the idea that all religions and all spiritual realities are of equal value. And if you can somehow mix them together, it’s good for society. There’s no evidence in history of this at all.”
After being asked what Queen Elizabeth would think of his reign so far, Ashenden said: “I think she would know it’s a disaster. She was a very intelligent, alert woman, full of integrity.
“I think one of the reasons we loved her is that we felt that we were dealing with a woman of integrity. When the world is run by people of integrity, it is safe.
“We loved her because she was a model of how this thing needs to be done. Unfortunately, Charles… is just falling short of what’s expected of a King.”
Ashenden served as an honorary chaplain to the late queen between 2008 and 2017. After resigning from the position after nearly a decade, he said he wished to speak freely on theological issues without dragging the Queen into controversy.