King Charles, Queen Camilla visit London's iconic Neasden Temple

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday (29 October, 2025) observed prayers and spiritual offerings during a visit to mark the 30th anniversary celebrations of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, popularly known as Neasden Temple, in London.

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

The 76-year-old monarch was greeted with the traditional nadachadi, or sacred threadtying ceremony, symbolising bonds of peace and friendship, by Head Priest Sadhu Yogvivekdas Swami.

The Royals, who removed their shoes at the entrance, were garlanded with flowers tied with pearls before a tour of the ornate temple complex. It is Europe's first traditional Hindu stone temple, which opened in August, 1995.

Dev Patel, an 11-year-old schoolboy, performed a petals tribute ritual to the sacred image of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the principal deity of the temple, as the King folded his hands in namaskar.

He expressed his gratitude and wished the congregation a "belated Happy Diwali" after observing the abhishek ceremony of Shri Nilkanth Varni Maharaj, the teenage form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, performed by the Patel family from southeast London.