Newman and the British Monarchy

The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles were events as acclaimed in Catholic circles as in Protestant/Anglican circles, indicating that tensions between Catholics and the British Crown have been consigned to history. From a theological perspective the rationale for this harmonious state of affairs is grounded in a commitment to religious freedom being shared and indeed celebrated by both parties. This article scrutinises this rationale, employing the thought of St John Henry Newman, a convert to Rome from Anglicanism, who is considered central in the development of Catholic integration into British public and cultural life. Newman’s writing suggests however that it is the Christian character of the British monarchy which his central to its harmonious relationship with British Catholics, rather than a shared commitment to generic religious freedom, and, moreover, Newman offers epistemological insights which can inform contemporary discussions about the existence of the monarchy itself.