Fra' Max Rumney has abruptly resigned from his role as the 58th Grand Prior of England for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
The Knights of Malta, the oldest chivalric order in the Roman Catholic Church, fuses social standing with spirituality. Past presidents of the order include the 5th Earl of Gainsborough and Prince Rupert Loewenstein, who served as financial adviser to the Rolling Stones. The hierarchy of the Order of Malta in Great Britain is headed by knights who have made vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, known as Knights of Justice.
Fra' Max Rumney, 58, was appointed in 2022, when the Catholic Herald welcomed the "tall, gentle" figure, noting that "there are few grander titles than the Grand Prior of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta" and almost certainly none with "more fabulous regalia." The prefix Fra' comes from the Italian word frate, meaning brother. Rumney is also a member of the £1,700-a-year Travellers' Club.
Philippa Leslie, director of communications for the Order of Malta, confirmed his departure. She said that the Order of Malta in Great Britain has communicated to its members that Fra' Max Rumney stepped down from the role of Grand Prior for health and personal reasons. She added that he indicated this in a formal letter to the Grand Master of the Order, who accepted his resignation.
At the request of the Grand Commander, immediate religious superior of Fra' Max, the Procurator of the Grand Priory of England will work with Fra' Max to decide his future in the Order of Malta and the religious life. A friend described Fra' Max as "a very gentle soul, a charming man" and stated that his departure has "caused quite a furore." Rumney did not respond to calls following his departure.
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