Autumn’s faith switch angers Blair priest

Tony Blair's favourite priest has not reacted well to the news that Peter Phillips' wife-to-be, the Canadian Autumn Kelly (pictured), has renounced her Roman Catholic faith so that her future husband can retain his place in the succession to the throne (if 10 royals fall under a bus, Princess Anne's son would become king).

Fr Timothy Russ, who celebrated Mass for the Blairs at Chequers, told the Daily Telegraph: "Roman Catholics believe in freedom of religion and that people should follow their conscience, so I'm sure she believes it the right thing to do." But he went on: "Considering that the Catholic Church is drenched in the blood of martyrs, and the tremendous price Catholics in this country have paid for their faith, it is rather sad, though, that she, as a baptised Catholic, doesn't see this."