Letter: Charles, Cyrus, Ashoka and the Thai king

Sir: Your leading article emphatically claims that 'Charles cannot be a defender of all faiths' (27 June) because that 'is constitutional and religious nonsense'. I am not so sure about legal, but religious nonsense it's not.

A perfect precedent would be the Persian-Zoroastrian King of Kings, Cyrus the Great. He ruled benignly and tolerantly, and his empire included a far greater variety of religions than in Britain today. He liberated many nations - Jews among them - from Babylonian captivity. The gods of all peoples under Cyrus's (and his heirs') rule were equally respected. He was anointed (and crowned) by the priests of all religions, according to their particular customs and rituals.

Yours faithfully,

GEORGE ZORI-ASTRO-REZONER

London, SW2

27 June