How Prince William could make massive change to Royals with plans to ‘break ties’ revealed

PRINCE William could be the first British monarch to cut ties with the Church, a new book suggests.

Since the reign of Henry VIII – over 500 years ago – Britain’s Kings and Queens have been head of the Church of England.

As “defenders of the faith”, monarchs appoint high-ranking members of the clergy and play a key role in its representation.

But William, 41, is not a regular church-goer and a new book claims there is talk in royal circles whether he will take on the title of Supreme Governor when he’s crowned.

The allegations are made in ‘Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story’ by royal writer Robert Hardman.

In the book, a senior Palace figure tells the author: “His father is very spiritual and happy to talk about faith but the Prince is not.

“He doesn’t go to church every Sunday, but then nor do the large majority of the country. He might go at Christmas and Easter but that’s it.

“He very much respects the institutions but he is not instinctively comfortable in a faith environment.”

Mr Hardman adds: “It is no secret that he does not share the King’s sense of the spiritual, let alone the late Queen’s unshakeable devotion to the Anglican church.”

The late Queen Elizabeth II often referred to her faith in her annual Christmas broadcasts.

She described Jesus Christ as an “inspiration and an anchor in my life” who taught her to “seek to respect and value all people”.

William was confirmed into the Anglican faith in 1997 aged 14, but is understood to only attend a “handful” of services each year.

Congregation membership is expected to hit just 8.4 per cent of the population – around 2.4 million people – by next year.

Mr Hardman’s book – – has made a number of other claims.

Among them is how Queen Elizabeth was left “angry” over the Sussexes’ claim she gave them permission to name their daughter Lilibet.

Harry and Meghan said publicly they would not have used Her Majesty’s private nickname if she had not been “supportive”

But one member of her staff has told how that comment left the late monarch “as angry as I’d ever seen her”.

Mr Hardman also alleges neither King Charles or William have read Harry’s explosive memoir Spare, but they’ve been briefed on key points.

And while the King feels “exasperated” by Harry, he is too preoccupied with royal duties to dwell on it, according to a friend.

Kensington Palace were approached for comment

Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story by Robert Hardman, is out in hardback on January 18, published by Macmillan.