At her Coronation , the late Queen took a sacred vow to become 'Defender of the Faith' - the Protestant faith, that is. That vow has been repeated by King Charles III on his formal accession to the throne, and it's just one of many ways in which religion has helped shape the monarchy, and helped preserve its continuity. In this programme Jonathan Thomas looks at some of the profound and curious religious foundations for the British monarchy, as it draws on Biblical precedent for some of its authority.

This programme was first broadcast in June 2022.