Reflection: Easter Is About Christ, Not Rumours: A Response to the False News About the King

False Claims About the King Miss the Point of Holy Week

By Terrance Davies

In recent days, false claims circulating on social media have suggested that the King is Muslim. The story is untrue — but more concerning is how quickly misinformation like this spreads, often unchecked, and how easily it distracts from what should be a deeply significant moment in the Christian calendar.

Holy Week is not a time for rumours, outrage, or political point-scoring. It is a time for reflection.

What many of those sharing these claims have overlooked is a simple and verifiable fact: on Maundy Thursday, King Charles III attended the Royal Maundy Service at St Asaph Cathedral — a long-standing Christian tradition observed annually. The service, rooted in humility and service, reflects Christ’s command to love and serve others.

That alone should give pause to those quick to question the King’s faith based on online speculation.

But beyond the facts lies a deeper issue — one that speaks not to the monarchy, but to the state of public discourse, and indeed, to the witness of Christians themselves.

A Crisis of Focus

At its heart, this controversy reveals how easily attention can be diverted from the core message of Christianity.

For many, the concern appears to be less about truth and more about identity — about who is “in” and who is “out.” Yet this is not the message of Jesus Christ.

Christ did not call His followers to gatekeep faith through suspicion or hostility. Instead, He gave a command that remains as radical today as it was two thousand years ago:

“Love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Mark 12:31)

This teaching leaves little room for the kind of division being fuelled online.

Indeed, Jesus goes further:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

And:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

These are not abstract ideals. They are practical instructions for how Christians are to live — especially in moments of tension and disagreement.

A Nation of Many Faiths

It is also worth remembering that the King, as Head of State, serves a nation that is religiously diverse. The United Kingdom is home not only to Christians, but also to Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and those of no faith at all.

This diversity is not something to fear.

If anything, it presents an opportunity — an opportunity for Christians to embody the teachings of Christ in a visible and meaningful way. Not through argument or accusation, but through compassion, integrity, and truth.

What Easter Is Really About

Perhaps the most striking aspect of this entire debate is how far it has drifted from the true meaning of Easter.

For some, the absence — real or perceived — of an Easter message from the King has become a point of frustration. But this raises a more fundamental question: when did Easter become dependent on statements from public figures?

Easter is not about the monarchy.

It is not about official messages or social media posts.

It is about Jesus Christ.

It is about the events of Good Friday, when Christ was crucified:

“And they crucified him.” (Mark 15:24)

It is about the suffering He endured:

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5)

And above all, it is about the resurrection — the defining moment of the Christian faith:

“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:6)

As the Apostle Paul makes clear:

“If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)

But Christ has been raised.

And that changes everything.

A Call to Refocus

If there is one lesson to take from this moment, it is this: Christians must be careful not to lose sight of what truly matters.

If you are concerned about the state of the Christian faith in this country, the answer is not to share unverified claims online.

The answer is to return to the Gospel.

Go to church.

Read Scripture.

Reflect on the Cross.

Celebrate the empty tomb.

Because the hope of Easter has never depended on a monarch, a headline, or a trending topic.

It rests in Christ alone.

And that is where it has always been.