King Charles has spent time in a room belonging to England’s newest saint which has remained as he left it on his death.
The King visited the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Birmingham and spent time in the Cardinal’s Room which was used by Cardinal John Henry Newman.
St. John Henry was canonised in 2019 by Pope Francis.
King Charles has a long interest in St. John Henry’s beliefs and writiDuring ngs. He attended the canonisation on October 13 2019 in Rome.
The day before John Henry Newman was made a saint by Pope Francis, King Charles wrote a piece about him in L’Osservatore Romano. He highlighted Newman’s ability to “advocate without accusation, disagree without disrespect, and… see differences as places of encounter rather than exclusion.”
And he said Newman’s spiritual example was “needed more than ever” in our times of polarization.
This view chimes with the well known beliefs King Charles has around faith. As King, he pledged to protect the “space for faith itself”—ensuring religious diversity is respected in modern Britain. These values clearly resonate with St. John Henry Newman’s emphasis on “difference as places of encounter,” suggesting that Charles’s engagement is both spiritual and practical—a guiding philosophy in his public life.
During his time at St. Philip Neri, The King was shown the items kept in the Cardinal’s room which include his books, rosaries and items of clothing.
The room isn’t heated and has no electric, presenting an ascetic way of life.
St. John Henry Newman was originally an Anglican priest and a leader of the Oxford Movement and he sought to renew the Church of England by recovering its Catholic roots.
After years of study and prayer, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1845, later becoming a cardinal.
St. John Henry Newman was a powerful preacher and writer, known for his works on conscience, the development of doctrine, and the role of education in faith.
He is remembered as a bridge between faith and reason, and for his profound influence on both Anglican and Catholic traditions.
During his visit, The King studied several of the books belonging to St. John Henry Newman.
The visit marks a return to royal duties for King Charles after the summer break and signals an end to his longer stay at Balmoral.
