King Charles praises mosque as a huge contribution to Cambridge and Muslims
King Charles visited the Cambridge Central Mosque and expressed admiration for its unique design and environmentally friendly features. During the visit, he praised the effort put into the mosque and its contribution to both the Muslim community and the city of Cambridge.
The King was welcomed by large crowds on Mill Road before meeting community leaders, worshippers and other guests inside the mosque. He also removed his shoes before entering the main prayer hall, following the traditions of the place of worship.
Cambridge Central Mosque is recognised as Europe’s first eco mosque because of its environmentally friendly design. The building uses efficient heat pumps, solar panels and a water recycling system that collects spare water from bathroom sinks and rainfall.
Natural light also plays an important role in the mosque’s design. Large skylights provide daylight throughout the year, helping to reduce electricity use and improve energy efficiency.
During the visit, King Charles received a book about the mosque, which can accommodate up to 1,000 worshippers. He also shared a light-hearted moment with schoolchildren, joking that he hoped he had not “ruined the holidays too much by dragging you in here”.
The King also unveiled a plaque marking the 75th anniversary of Cambridge receiving city status from his grandfather, King George VI. He described the visit as a “pleasure” before addressing those gathered inside the mosque.
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Speaking at the event, the King said, “I'm so impressed by the quality of the design, of all the care and attention which has been lavished on it.” He added, “It makes a huge contribution I'm sure not only to the Muslim community, but to Cambridge itself.”
He further said, “So I congratulate you and I pray with all my heart that you continue with every possible success and that you continue your work together with other faiths in this area to set a remarkable example of integrated faith activity.” His remarks highlighted the importance of cooperation and respect between different faith communities.
Mosque trustee Zeynep Coskun thanked the King for visiting the mosque and described the occasion as “such an honour”. She said, “He was very kind, he talked to everyone, he tried to understand everyone's role,” praising his interest in meeting people from across the community.
Later in the day, King Charles visited the University of Cambridge to officially open the new £58m Whittle Laboratory. The research centre focuses on innovation in net zero aviation and energy, and the King had also supported the project during earlier visits.
The visit highlighted King Charles’ long-standing interest in environmental protection and sustainable development. His praise for the mosque may encourage greater attention to eco-friendly buildings and stronger cooperation between different communities.
Architecturally, the building is breath-taking. It is supported throughout by intricately intertwined pine columns, designed to look like a grove of trees. These were conceived by David Marks MBE (1952-2017) of Marks Barfield Architects, who also created the London Eye and the Kew Gardens Treetop Walkway, and are intentionally evocative of the Gothic fan vaulting used in King’s College Chapel.
