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The King and Queen extended their warm wishes for a “very happy belated Diwali” during their visit to Neasden Temple on Wednesday, marking its 30th anniversary celebration.
King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 78, explored the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple located in north London, where they observed spiritual ceremonies.
Welcomed with flower garlands, they watched as children performed the Shanti Path, a Vedic prayer dedicated to world peace.
This wasn’t their first visit to the temple; they previously visited as the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in 2009.
Their visit follows closely on the heels of King Charles facing protests from anti-monarchy activists, amidst increasing demands for Prince Andrew to vacate the Royal Lodge, where he has resided rent-free for over two decades.
During a recent visit to Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, a protester from the group Republic challenged the King with questions concerning Prince Andrew’s ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
However, today’s outing appeared much friendlier, with the King offering a Namaste greeting, clasping his hands together and bowing his head in front of the head priest.
The pair were barefoot as they were guided around the bright white, ornately carved building which is made with 2,828 tons of limestone and 2,000 tons of marble, which was carved by a team of 1,526 sculptors.
The King, 76, received a ceremonial welcome as he met members of a Hindu temple in Neasden, London on Wednesday alongside Queen Camilla, 78 (pictured together)
The royal couple were given red and white floral garlands to wear around their necks after which Charles exchanged the Hindu Namaste greeting
Camilla spoke to several women who attend the Hindu temple, and was guided by them on her visit around the impressive building
Their visit on its 30th anniversary also looked forward to the completion of BAPS Mandir in Paris, which will be the first traditional Hindu temple in France.
They met architects and viewed a model of the temple which is currently under construction but due to be completed in September 2026.
The Neasden temple is Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple and was the largest to be built outside India at the time of its completion.
Stretching to 102,018 square feet, the temple was built using classical Vedic architectural principles, meaning it has no structural steel.
The King wore a suit and blue tie, the Queen a dark green jacket and skirt. Both removed their shoes after entering.
On arrival, they were greeted by Sadhu Yog Vivek Swami, who held his hands together and bowed in greeting, a gesture the King returned.
The temple leaders then presented both with flower garlands – of roses, carnations and foliage with a string of pearl beads – and nada-chadi – a sacred thread tied around their wrists.
As this was tied, the priest told Charles it was a ‘string of friendship on your right hand to show our bonds remain ever sweet’.
The King and Queen also greeted the Mayor of Brent wearing red robes and the Mayor of Harrow.
The royal couple watched a spiritual ceremony alongside members of the community and congregation
Charles and Camilla were guided around the ornately carved temple by the head priest and other members of the congregation
The chair of the temple, Mr Jitu Patel, then escorted them upstairs to the inner sanctum, beneath the ten-metre high Mandir dome.
Its marble and limestone were hand-carved in India by skilled artisans, while seven ornate shrines house murtis – sacred images – of the deities.
There the King observed a young boy offering petals to the central shrine for Bhagwan
Swaminarayan, the principal deity of the temple, before the Queen observed a young girl do the same.
Mr Patel explained the details of the pillars and shrines to the King who nodded and appeared engaged.
Downstairs, the King and Queen observed a family of four perform an Abhishek—a ceremonial pouring of water over a deity’s image.
The King asked the family how often they performed an Abhishek and whether the children were off school for half term.
The family told him about the festivities and fireworks for Diwali just over a week before.
Leaving the Abhishek, the King said to them, ‘Well, very happy belated Diwali.’
Charles was adorned with a traditional red and white flowered garland as he greeted the head priest of Neasden Temple
In the Haveli foyer, the royals then met trustees of BAPS before viewing a model of the BAPS Mandir in Paris.
They spoke to the Commissioner of India to the UK, the Ambassador of France to the UK and architects and craftsmen involved in the project, one of whom showed the King a wooden piece of carving from the ceiling.
Viewing the model of the Parisian temple, the Queen said, ‘It does look very impressive.’
The congregation, wearing traditional Indian dress, stood and applauded as the King and Queen entered the main assembly hall. Children lined the central aisle waving BAPS flags.
Men and women were seated either side of the central aisle. The King sat on the left hand side of the stage, in front of the male congregation, while the Queen sat on the right, in front of the women.
School children performed Shanti Path, a Vedic prayer for world peace.
The head priest, Pujya Yogvivekdas Swami, said, ‘Your majesty on behalf of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, it is our distinct honour and joy to welcome you to Neasden temple on its 30 year anniversary.’
He said their presence reflected the ‘relationship that runs long and deep’, having marked both ‘joy’ and ‘sorrow’ on previous visits, from celebrating Holi to reflecting on the Gujarat earthquake.
‘You have offered comfort, encouragement and genuine friendship,’ he said.
The couples were greeted by children from the community
The couple also observed a spiritual ceremony
‘You have championed heritage and traditional architecture.’
He added that the King’s support had ‘sustained the arts’ and ’empowered young people’.
There was a video message from the spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj, 92, from India, who thanked the King and Queen for their visit.
He said, ‘Your kindness and friendship have long been cherished by our community.’
The head priest then presented the King with a special gift and the Queen with sweets, representing, ‘the sweet enduring friendship between the crown and our community’.
As the King and Queen walked back down the central aisle, the congregation gave a cheer.
Dev Patel, 11, who visits the temple weekly with his family, found out the day before that he would be offering petals to the central shrine for Bhagwan Swaminarayan in front of the King.
‘Initially I was quite nervous but I’m grateful that the King has come to celebrate the anniversary,’ he said, ‘I bowed at him and he bowed back. I felt a sense of harmony when he came, like unity.’
The Patel family from Watford said they were ‘overjoyed’ to perform the Abhishek for the visit.
Hinal Patel, 41, said, ‘It was an honour and a privilege to represent our temple to represent our community.’
Her daughter, Aasha, 10, added, ‘And to see the King and Queen.’
Chirag Patel, 41, said, ‘It was an honour for us as well to offer our prayers on behalf of the King and Queen as a family.
‘We were praying for the King, Queen, the wider family, the whole nation really, just praying for peace and prosperity.’
On the conversation with the King, Mr Patel said, ‘It was proper out of the blue.
‘He was asking us about Diwali and how the celebrations were and he was even joking around with the kids as well.’
Aasha said she had the ‘giggles’ before the meeting but looked forward to telling her classmates ‘I met the King and Queen’ when she returned after half term.
Hinal added she had queued after the late Queen’s death in 2022 and previously met Charles at Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
It’s been a tricky a week for the King who was heckled by protester on Monday.
The heckler’s identity remains unknown but a video of the outburst shows him being pulled back by a frustrated onlooker as he launched the tirade.
As the King walked past, the protester shouted: ‘How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?
‘Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?
‘Should MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?’
The King chose to ignore the heckler, showing no reaction while other people outside Lichfield Cathedral told the heckler to ‘shut up’ as the King made his way through the crowd, greeting fans and tuning out the chaos.
The prince still has 50 years left on his pre-paid lease and it not known exactly how much money he could receive in compensation for the £7.5million he has spent on Royal Lodge renovations.
