King Charles III toured Cambridge Central Mosque and unveiled a plaque marking 75 years of the city’s status.
King Charles III visited Cambridge Central Mosque on Monday, July 20, touring the building and meeting members of the local Muslim community.
Cambridge City Council said the visit was organized by the mosque as part of a year-long celebration marking 75 years since Cambridge was granted city status by King George VI, with a focus on the city’s inclusivity and community.
The King greeted attendees in a paved garden area with a fountain before moving inside. He removed his shoes to enter the prayer hall, where he spoke with community members and schoolchildren. The Cambridge Independent reported that he joked with the children that he hoped he had not ruined their holidays too much by dragging them in.
Addressing those present, the King said he was impressed by the quality of the design and the care lavished on the building, and noted that the purpose-built mosque had an attached community center. He said it made a significant contribution to the Muslim community and to Cambridge itself, and expressed hope that the community would continue working with other faiths in the area. He was presented with a book about the mosque before leaving.
Inside Cambridge Central Mosque’s Eco-Friendly Design
The mosque was designed by Marks Barfield Architects and opened in 2019. On its own website, it describes its emphasis on sustainability and reliance on green energy as making it Europe’s first eco-mosque.
The building uses photovoltaic panels, air-source heat pumps, a sedum roof and sustainably sourced timber. Türkiye Today reported that around 40 percent of its electricity is generated from solar energy. Heating and cooling are handled by high-efficiency heat pumps housed in the basement.
The mosque was built with contributions from the Turkish Diyanet Foundation, and its opening ceremony in 2019 was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertas, attended Monday’s visit alongside Cambridge Mosque Trust board members Zeynep Coskun Koc and Selim Argun.
Argun said the visit coincided with the 75th anniversary of the city’s status and noted that the King had kept the engagement despite a busy schedule.
Abdal Hakim Murad, chair of the mosque’s board of trustees, said the visit represented an affirmation of the mosque’s commitment to Muslim integration into modern Britain and to strengthening ties between religions. He said the community was pleased to show the King the sustainable technologies used in the building.
Cambridge City Status Plaque and Restored Royal Charters
Back in the first room, having put his shoes on again, the King unveiled a plaque marking the 75th anniversary of Cambridge receiving city status from King George VI.
The King and other guests, including Cambridge City Council staff and councillors, viewed several of the city’s historic royal charters. The council said the documents had recently been restored by local conservator Edward Cheese ahead of the anniversary.
The charters record the relationship between Cambridge and the Crown across several centuries and successive monarchs. The oldest dates to the 13th century reign of King John, who first granted Cambridge the right to have its own mayor.
Interfaith Attendance at the Cambridge Mosque Visit
Faith leaders from outside the Muslim community attended the engagement. Türkiye Today reported that the local bishop and rabbi were both present, and that Murad described the visit as symbolically significant for Britain’s Muslim community.
The King shook hands with faith leaders and community members during the tour and met the mosque’s imams and trustees.
Members of the public gathered on the street outside. As he returned to his car, the King stopped to speak to a group of children holding flowers, with security staff following him to the crowd.
Angharad Walter, 45, from Cambridge, told PA she had brought her nine-year-old daughter Indigo after a friend mentioned the visit. She said a mosque volunteer had collected the flowers from a local cafe, which receives them from companies when they are close to their sell-by date. Walter said the family was surprised when the King came over.
Cambridge received city status in 1951. The 75th anniversary program runs across 2026, with the mosque visit forming one of the scheduled events.
