Charles' personal beliefs will no longer be heard - but we may still feel them

In the latest part of a series on the new King, Geraint Vincent looks at some of the causes close to Charles III's heart

‘By their deeds shall ye know them’.

For those seeking to learn about a King with closely held Christian faith, some teaching from the New Testament might prove helpful.

The former Prince of Wales used to speak out a lot. In fact, he has spent a lifetime doing it - and on a range of subjects. Everything from architecture (monstrous carbuncle, anyone?) to agriculture and, of course, sustainable development.

The Prince had quite a work ethic. In his recent autobiography, his son Harry describes waking his father up after he had fallen asleep at his desk, writing letters late into the night.

Those letters were often sent to government ministers, urging policy rethinks on an even broader range of topics.

Then there were his formidable charitable efforts. The Prince’s Trust is just one of several charities he founded - to help young people find the skills they need to get jobs. Its beneficiaries number in the hundreds of thousands and it has long been a multi-million-pound operation.

All this has now changed - as it had to. There is no longer the time to spare on chairing charities, and as the head of state, when the King speaks publicly he must not contradict the policies of his ministers. If he did, it would spark a constitutional crisis. His vocal campaigning will not continue - he is, as he himself said, "not that stupid".

And yet. King Charles may no longer be able to speak his mind, but he is still amply able to demonstrate what his policy priorities are.

Look at the planned itineraries of his first foreign trip as head of state - to France and Germany - and you will see stops at organic farms and green technology firms. And when Heathrow Airport came up with an idea to mark the coronation by naming Terminal 5 after the new king, reports emerged that the offer had been "turned down".

Consider also the King’s response to the government’s decision that he should not attend the Cop27 climate change conference in Egypt last year. Charles unleashed some of his famous "convening power", with a big climate action reception a couple of days beforehand at Buckingham Palace. The king did not speak, but of course he didn’t need to. His influence was felt, not heard.

So watch out for what the newly crowned King does, where he goes, and where he doesn’t. He is a man who has spent a long time working hard to develop and put in practice a set of deeply-held beliefs.

The speaking out has stopped, but you will know this monarch by his deeds.

Listen to the latest episode of the Royal Rota podcast