Why not Prince Yusuf?
From Joseph Askew
Sir: Tim Walker (‘Charles, the first multicultural monarch?’, 28 October) asks whether Prince Charles will be the first British monarch to have a multi-faith coronation. It is worth pointing out that Charles has failed to take the first steps to that end: after all, he picked the two most blatantly sectarian names available to him for his sons. Since he named his heirs after Henry VIII and William of Orange, it is hard to take him seriously about being open to other faiths. Not only did he fail to consider the largest Christian minority in Britain; it is also worth noting that neither Henry nor William was King of Scotland. Had Charles picked, for example, David, he would have reached out to the Welsh, the Scots and the Jewish communities, all of which have had rulers called David.
If Charles had wanted to reach beyond Great Britain or to the newer religions, he could have named a son Yusuf and so con nected with the Islamic world he professes to respect so much. He could even have chosen a name like Nahasapeemapetilon. He either chose not to do so or did not have the courage to challenge tradition.
It is hard to imagine Charles changing his behaviour any time soon. No doubt he has vague feelings for other religions, but perhaps they would be better satisfied by an Open University course in theology than by meddling with the constitution of Great Britain.
Joseph Benjamin Askew Coromandel East, South Australia
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