Furore over bishop's attack on Royal wedding couple

Church of England Bishop Pete Broadbent has described the Royal Family as "philanderers" with a record of marriage break-ups who "cost an arm and a leg".

Writing on social-networking site Facebook, Bishop Broadbent, the Bishop of Willesden in North-West London for ten years, said of the 1981 union of Prince Charles and Princess Diana: "I managed to avoid the last disaster in slow motion between Big Ears and the Porcelain Doll, and I hope to avoid this one too."

He added that the basis for the monarchy was "corrupt" and "sexist", saying: "Talent isn't passed on through peoples' bloodstock."

Tory MP Nicholas Soames, a friend of Prince Charles, denounced the Bishop's comments as "absurd", adding: "They are extremely rude, not what one expects from a bishop."

Synod member and former MP Canon Peter Bruinvels added: "This is deeply disappointing and disrespectful. The bishop should be reminded that we are an established church in which the monarch plays an integral role."

But rather than censure the Bishop, Lambeth Palace said: "(He] is entitled to his views."

Bishop Broadbent – a founder member of the Church's powerful "Cabinet", the Archbishops' Council – used Facebook to comment on the Royal wedding and said: "Need to work out what date in the spring or summer I should be booking my republican day trip to France."

He later added: "As with most shallow celebrities... they will be set up to fail by the gutter press... I give the marriage seven years."

The news of Bishop Broadbent's comments came as a survey showed many Britons would like Prince Charles and his wife Camilla to stand aside to allow Prince William to ascend directly to the throne.

More than half the number of people asked (55 per cent) said they would like William to leapfrog the Prince of Wales and become the next King of England.

The YouGov poll, which quizzed 2015 adults online, also found 64 per cent thought William and his fiancee would be better for the long-term prospects of the monarchy, compared with only 19 per cent who plumped for Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.

One person who does support the elder couple is David Cameron, who yesterday described himself as "a big Camilla fan". The Prime Minister also said there would be further discussions about whether the Duchess of Cornwall could become Queen.

He added: "I think the country is getting to know (Camilla] and getting to see that she is a very warm-hearted person with a big sense of humour."