Rupert Lowe refuses to say whether King Charles is a white Briton in BBC Radio 4 clash with Nick Robinson
Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain and its sole MP, repeatedly declined to say whether King Charles is a white Briton during a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview in which he was challenged over his party's definition of.
Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain and its sole MP, repeatedly declined to say whether King Charles is a white Briton during a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview with Nick Robinson on 6 August 2026. He said there were 'different interpretations' of the term.
Rupert Lowe declined to say whether King Charles is a white Briton when questioned about the monarch's ethnicity in a BBC Radio 4 interview on Thursday, 6 August 2026. The leader of Restore Britain was challenged by Today presenter Nick Robinson over a definition in a report for his party, under which both of a person's parents would need to have been born in the UK. Under that definition, the King would not qualify, because his father, Prince Philip, was born in Greece. According to reports, Lowe said there were "different interpretations" of how to define the term. Lowe has represented Great Yarmouth in the House of Commons since 2024. He was elected for Reform UK but had the whip suspended in March 2025 following allegations of bullying and threats of physical violence against party chairman Zia Yusuf. He now leads Restore Britain and sits as its sole MP. The exchange matters because it exposes the implications of the definitions at the heart of Restore Britain's platform. According to reports, Lowe was also pressed over his party's claim that white Britons could become a minority by 2063, and repeatedly failed to provide evidence for his assertion that the UK is hurtling towards being an Islamic country.
Lowe declines to say whether King Charles is a white Briton
Rupert Lowe, the leader of Restore Britain and its sole MP, declined to say whether King Charles is a white Briton during an interview with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday 6 August 2026.
Pressed on the monarch's ethnicity, Lowe repeatedly did not give a direct answer. According to reports, he said there were "different interpretations" of how to define the term. He did not say whether he considers the King to be white British.
The question arose as Robinson challenged Lowe over a definition contained in a report for his party, under which both of a person's parents would need to have been born in the UK. Under that definition, reports suggest, the King would not qualify because his father, Prince Philip, was born in Greece.
Lowe has represented Great Yarmouth in the House of Commons since 2024. The exchange was first reported by Yahoo News UK on 5 August 2026, ahead of the broadcast.
The Restore Britain report and its two-parents definition
At the centre of the exchange was a report Lowe was promoting for Restore Britain, which set out a definition of who counts as a white Briton. Under the definition Robinson questioned him about, both of a person's parents would need to have been born in the UK. Lowe said there were "different interpretations" of how to define the term, according to reports of the interview.
Reporting on the clash noted the consequence of that test: King Charles would not count as a white Briton under it, because his father, Prince Philip, was born in Greece. That consequence is attributed to the reporting rather than stated by Lowe himself. The full wording of the report's definition, and who authored it, has not been made clear in the available coverage.
Pressed on 'Islamic country' claim and the 2063 minority projection
The confrontation extended well beyond the question of the King's ethnicity. According to reports, Robinson pressed Lowe to provide evidence for his claim that the UK is hurtling towards being an Islamic country, a demand Lowe repeatedly did not meet.
Lowe was also challenged over Restore Britain's claim that white Britons could become a minority by 2063, and over a series of claims he had made on social media, according to reports of the exchange.
At one point during the clash, Robinson is reported to have described Lowe as "a man with money and a grudge and a social media account who airs his prejudices on X". One account of the interview attributes the remark without naming its speaker; another attributes it directly to Robinson.
The exchange formed part of a wider interrogation of the positions Lowe has advanced since becoming leader of Restore Britain, where he sits as the party's sole MP.
From Reform UK suspension to leading Restore Britain
Rupert Lowe has represented Great Yarmouth in the House of Commons since 2024, when he was elected as a Reform UK candidate. His time in the party was short-lived. In March 2025, Reform UK suspended the whip from him following allegations of bullying and threats of physical violence against the party's chairman, Zia Yusuf. The outcome of those allegations is not yet known.
Lowe now leads Restore Britain, a party in which he sits as the sole MP. It was in that capacity that he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on 6 August 2026, promoting a report produced for the party and defending its claims under questioning from presenter Nick Robinson.
Lowe enters Parliament
Reform UK suspends Lowe's whip
Yahoo News UK reports on the exchange
BBC Radio 4 Today interview with Nick Robinson
Frequently asked questions
What did Rupert Lowe say about King Charles?
Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain and its sole MP, declined to say whether King Charles is a white Briton during a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview with Nick Robinson on 6 August 2026. According to reports, Lowe said there were 'different interpretations' of how to define the term. He repeatedly refused to give a direct answer when pressed on the monarch's ethnicity.
Why would King Charles not count as a white Briton under Restore Britain's definition?
According to reports, the definitions used in a report Lowe was promoting for his party Restore Britain required both of a person's parents to have been born in the UK. Under that definition, King Charles would not count as a white Briton because his father, Prince Philip, was born in Greece. The full wording of the report's definition and its authorship are not known.
Who is Rupert Lowe?
Rupert Lowe is the MP for Great Yarmouth, a seat he has held since 2024. He was elected for Reform UK but had the whip suspended in March 2025 following allegations of bullying and threats of physical violence against party chairman Zia Yusuf. He now leads Restore Britain and sits in the House of Commons as its sole MP.
What happened in Rupert Lowe's interview with Nick Robinson?
Nick Robinson challenged Lowe over Restore Britain's claim that white Britons could become a minority by 2063, and over his assertion that the UK is hurtling towards being an Islamic country, a claim for which Lowe repeatedly provided no evidence when asked. According to reports, Robinson described Lowe as 'a man with money and a grudge and a social media account who airs his prejudices on X'.
What is Restore Britain?
Restore Britain is the political party led by Rupert Lowe, who sits as its sole MP in the House of Commons. Lowe was questioned on the BBC's Today programme about a report produced for the party, including its definition of a white Briton and its claim that white Britons could become a minority by 2063. When the party was founded is not known from available reporting.
Compiled from reporting by 8 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
