Monarch celebrates interfaith progress with Oxford honour as Queen turns 78
On the day Queen Camilla celebrated her 78th birthday, King Charles III marked a significant moment in his long-standing commitment to interfaith dialogue and academic collaboration.
The 76-year-old monarch appeared in high spirits as he officially opened the newly designated King Charles III Wing at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, commemorating the institution’s 40th anniversary. The occasion underlined his dedication to bridging Western and Islamic academic traditions—an initiative he has championed for decades.
A Patron of the Centre since 1993, Charles used the visit to reaffirm his support by launching the King Charles III Programme—a wide-reaching initiative focused on youth leadership, environmental awareness, academic fellowships, and scholarships for aspiring scholars within the Muslim world.
The event brought together an esteemed group of leaders and academics, including Dr Farhan Nizami, the Centre’s Director; Lord William Hague, Chancellor of Oxford University; Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; and Professor Irene Tracey, Oxford’s Vice Chancellor.
Established in 1985, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies has served as a key academic hub for the study of the Islamic world and its intersections with Western thought. Its Royal Charter, granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, solidified its standing in global academia.
Charles’s connection to the Centre runs deep—he delivered its first Distinguished Lecture in 1993 as Prince of Wales, setting the tone for a decades-long commitment to fostering cultural understanding and scholarly exchange.
While Queen Camilla enjoyed her milestone birthday in the background, the King's engagement was a powerful reminder of his ongoing dedication to causes that reach far beyond the royal stage.
