# Can a British monarch declare they are athiest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2013, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473 "2013-02-06T09:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/1 "2013-02-06T09:35:51Z")
What would happen if Charles, William or whoever takes the throne next in the English monarchy made an acknowledgement that they didn’t believe in God and were in fact complete disbelievers: ergo, atheists. Being the King or Queen of England also carries with it the title of head of the Anglican Church. But my question is, can one renounce the churchy bit, whilst still remaining monarch in a political sense? ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/2 "2013-02-06T09:39:51Z")
In law, yes; the only thing prohibited is Catholicism. But I would imagine the result would be eventual disestablishment of the Church. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/3 "2013-02-06T09:45:21Z")
> **[Prince Charles to be known as Defender of Faith](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/3454271/Prince-Charles-to-be-known-as-Defender-of-Faith.html)** > > The Prince of Wales, who is 60 today, is planning a symbolic change when he becomes King by taking the title Defender of Faith to reflect Britain's multicultural society. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/4 "2013-02-06T09:54:09Z")
Had to laugh at this bit: > [@Telegraph](#): > > The Monarch has been known by the title Defender of the Faith ever since the title was bestowed on Henry VIII by the Pope in 1521 **for his early support for Roman Catholicism** You’d think they’d have whisked it back at some point… ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/5 "2013-02-06T10:11:00Z")
The Act of Settlement requires that the monarch “joyn in Communion with the Church of England as by Law established.” But I’m not sure if that’s actually incompatible with atheism. Does the Church of England have the power to kick someone out for that (or anything)? And I suppose you could make the argument that “joining” and “remaining” are different things. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/6 "2013-02-06T10:21:43Z")
I’d guess that the situation in the UK is the same as in Sweden: the monarch with family are the only people in the country that are required to belong to a certain church, which they cannot leave as they would then lose the right to succession to the throne. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/7 "2013-02-06T10:35:07Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > The Act of Settlement requires that the monarch “joyn in Communion with the Church of England as by Law established.” > > But I’m not sure if that’s actually incompatible with atheism. … Some bishops of the Church of England seem to have beliefs that are a close approximation of atheism. I don’t think it excludes many people. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/8 "2013-02-06T10:38:06Z")
Athi, athier, athiest? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/9 "2013-02-06T12:47:33Z")
Yes, Prime Minister episode “The Bishops Gambit” 1986 > [@](#): > > Sir Humphrey Appleby: The Queen is inseparable from the Church of England. > Jim Hacker: And what about God? > Sir Humphrey Appleby: I think he is what is called an optional extra. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/10 "2013-02-06T13:04:14Z")
You don’t have to believe in a ritual or ceremony to take part in it. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/11 "2013-02-06T13:43:35Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Athi, athier, athiest? I think that means the British monarch can be fairly athy, (i.e. agnostic,) they just can’t be athier than the majority of the population. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/12 "2013-02-06T16:35:22Z")
Realistically, the answer is “Whatever Parliament decides.” If a monarch actually proclaimed both atheism and an unwillingness to lead the Church of England, Parliament could amend the Act of Settlement to sever the monarchy and the Church. The Prime Minister would then advise the monarch to grant royal assent, and he/she would - as properly housebroken constitutional monarchs always do. Or Parliament could insist upon following the letter of the law, and recognize whoever was next in the line of succession as the monarch. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/13 "2013-02-06T17:40:24Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I think that means the British monarch can be fairly athy, (i.e. agnostic,) they just can’t be athier than the majority of the population. While their subjects may be athier, shouldn’t the monarch, just by being the monarch, inherently be athiest? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/14 "2013-02-06T17:53:43Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > I’d guess that the situation in the UK is the same as in Sweden: the monarch with family are the only people in the country that are required to belong to a certain church, which they cannot leave as they would then lose the right to succession to the throne. The monarch’s coronation vows include defending the Church, but I don’t think they say anything about being a member. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/15 "2013-02-06T17:57:30Z")
Yes, a _single_ monarch can indeed declare that _they_ are atheist, but only because of “[the royal we](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_plural).” There are also atheists with tapeworms. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-british-monarch-declare-they-are-athiest/649473/16 "2013-02-06T18:04:48Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > You’d think they’d have whisked it back at some point… Pope Paul III did revoke the title after Henry’s little spat. But since he no longer felt the need to pay attention to the Pope, Henry had Parliament give him their own Defender of the Faith title to replace it.