Public Invited To Swear Allegiance To King In New Variation On Ancient Coronation Ceremony

Caroline Frost
·2 min read
8

In less than a week’s time King Charles will be crowned, and new information provided by organisers reveals that the hordes of people watching, both in person and on screen, will be invited to join a “chorus of millions” in swearing allegiance to the King.

Lambeth Palace, home of the Archbishop of Canterbury who will lead the service to anoint the monarch, has announced that the people across the world who so desire will be able to cry out in support – this replaces the traditional “homage of peers,” in what is, presumably, a move to democratize the proceedings.

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The order of service will read: “All who so desire, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, say together: I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

After a fanfare, the Archbishop of Canterbury will proclaim “God save the King,” with all asked to respond: “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live forever.”

A spokesman for Lambeth Palace told the BBC: “The homage of the people is particularly exciting because that’s brand new.

“That’s something that we can share in because of technological advances, so not just the people in the Abbey, but people who are online, on television, who are listening, and who are gathered in parks, at big screens and churches.

“Our hope is at that point, when the Archbishop invites people to join in, that people wherever they are, if they’re watching at home on their own, watching the telly, will say it out loud – this sense of a great cry around the nation and around the world of support for the King.”

Other information released this weekend, includes:

The King will be heard praying out loud as part of the ceremony

Female clergy will pay a leading role for the first time in history, will religious leaders from other faiths will be included in the Christian service

Languages other than English will be heard, to reflect the diversity of Britain, with a hymn to be sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic

The Archbishop of Canterbury said it would “recognise and celebrate tradition” as well as contain “new elements that reflect the diversity of our contemporary society”.

No news yet on the seating arrangements of the royals besides the new King and Queen. Prince Harry will be flying in for his father’s ceremony, but is not expected to take any part in proceedings, unlike his brother William, Prince of Wales, and the children of Queen Camilla. Meghan Markle has confirmed she will not be attending.

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