Prelate meets King Charles at Windsor Castle

By Sujeeva Nivunhella
reporting from London

The Chief Sanga Nayake of Great Britain and head monk of the London Buddhist Vihara, Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Thera, was recently invited to Windsor Castle for a special evening hosted by King Charles III.

During the meeting, Seelawimala Thera extended an invitation to the King to attend the centenary celebrations of the London Buddhist Vihara, which was founded in 1926 by Anagarika Dharmapala and is presently managed by the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust in Sri Lanka.

King Charles also took the opportunity to show Seelawimala Thera a gift that he had previously presented to Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The gift, a model stupa, a traditional Buddhist pagoda-like structure used for worship is preserved in the library of Windsor Castle along with an inscription describing its significance.

The meeting highlighted the enduring ties between the British monarchy and the Buddhist community in the United Kingdom, reflecting a shared commitment to interfaith dialogue and cultural appreciation.