Why Sikhs love King Charles III

Poor old King Charles has had a tricky start to his reign. Harry and Meghan’s tell-all Netflix show, in which they drop various ‘truth bombs’ about their time as serving royals, continues to dominate the headlines. The Royals are also recovering from the fallout from the drama sparked by Lady Hussey, the Queen’s long-serving lady in waiting, asking a guest at a Buckingham Palace reception where she was ‘really’ from. But amidst the various royal ruptures, Charles deserves praise: for fulfilling his promise to be a ‘defender of faith’.

The monarch showed this commitment clearly last week when he paid a visit to a gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Luton. His visit has bolstered the warm feeling that many British Sikhs, including myself, have for Charles.

Respecting Sikh tradition, Charles covered his head, took off his shoes and sat on the floor as an equal amongst the congregation. While being presented with a siropa (saffron scarf), the congregation said: ‘Bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’ – which roughly translates to ‘whoever utters shall be fulfilled, the timeless Lord is the truth’.