For those of us watching the decisions of the King in the build-up to his coronation next year, it came as no surprise to learn about His Majesty's plans to accommodate the Chief Rabbi to allow him to attend the coronation.

The plans, whereby Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife will stay with the King and Queen Consort at Clarence House the night before the coronation will allow them to attend the auspicious occasion without breaking the laws of Shabbat.

This gracious accommodation by the king will mean for the Chief Rabbi it's a short walk across St. James's Park to Westminster Abbey, and he doesn't have to break any of the Sabbath regulations.

The king has put his money where his mouth is. While he is constitutionally obliged to be Defender of the Faith, he's also defending other faiths. He'll almost certainly plan to invite other denominations into Westminster Abbey, recognising our modern, multicultural society.

This multiculturalism has always been important to the King and something he's long recognised, perhaps to an even greater extent than his mother the Queen.

There's always been criticism about the monarchy modernising and I'm not terribly sure what they mean. The monarchy has always adapted to meet the needs of the time.

The queen was very particular about it. She said she never changed, but she did need to adapt to meet the needs of the 21st century - who can forget that charming sketch with Paddington for the Platinum Jubilee?

The multicultural society that we're living in now, developed during the course of her 70-year reign, whereas the king has always recognised multiculturalism as it has been a matter of fact for most of his life.

And this has been reflected in his public duties. Always open to visiting all places of worship be that mosque, temple, or synagogue. So in providing accommodation for the Rabbi, by making sure that he is there so that no one is left out on coronation day, on the Sabbath, this is simply an extension of the values he's been practicing for many years.

Indeed, even in the days of mourning that followed the death of his mother, Charles moved a Palace event to once again accommodate Chief Rabbi Mirvis.

There's been much speculation as to the form that the coronation will take, how much it will be "pared down" or even at all. But I would expect that during the service at Westminster Abbey, religious leaders will be given the chance to offer a prayer for the King, but just like the rest of the festivities, we'll have to wait and see.