Queen snubs bishop who branded Kate Middleton and Prince William 'shallow celebrities'

Controversial: the Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent, has called Prince Charles “Big Ears” and claims royalty is “corrupt”
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A republican bishop who branded William and Kate “shallow celebrities” is to take charge of the Queen’s London diocese, the Standard can reveal.

In his outspoken career the Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent, has also referred to Prince Charles as “Big Ears” and called the royal family “philanderers”.

Now the ex-Labour councillor, 64, is to stand in for the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, who retires in February, until a permanent successor is chosen.

But in what some see as “a snub” to the Left-winger, the Queen has asked Dr Chartres to stay on in his role as Dean of the Chapels Royal until a new bishop is named.

The Dean, whose office dates back to 1312, oversees worship in palaces and at major events senior royals take part in, such as the Cenotaph ceremony.

Her Majesty The Queen
PA

Since 1748, the Bishop of London and the Dean have been the same person. But a Church insider said it would have been highly embarrassing for the Queen if oversight of her private worship had been handed to an avowed opponent of the monarchy such as Bishop Broadbent, who once stated that royalty’s basis was “corrupt and sexist”. He has also made remarks about royals on social media, calling Princess Diana a “porcelain doll”.

And he even claimed the marriage of Kate and William would not last more than seven years, saying the couple would be “set up to fail by the gutter press”.

He was temporarily suspended in 2010 after writing on Facebook about the couple’s engagement: “We need a party in Calais for all good republicans who can’t stand the nauseating tosh that surrounds this event.”

London Tory MP David Burrowes, chairman of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, said Bishop Broadbent “is a passionate supporter of Jesus Christ, Spurs and the Labour Party. In his elevated position he will need to drop his party political and anti-monarchy views.”

Announcing his retirement after 11 years, Dr Chartres made clear it was the Queen’s wish he should stay on for now as Dean. Bishop Broadbent told the Standard in a text that the question of whether he would meet royals “does not arise”.

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