A call for millions of citizens to “pay homage” to King Charles during his coronation sparked an unexpected backlash yesterday.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office this weekend unveiled plans to make the ceremony more of a ‘People’s Coronation’ by scrapping the historic rite of aristocrats pledging their oaths to the new sovereign.
Only the Prince of Wales will now kneel before the King and promise to be his ‘ruler of life and limb’.
In a groundbreaking move, Lambeth Palace said citizens of the UK and the Commonwealth would instead be given the chance to “pay their heart and soul homage to their undisputed king.”
But the move sparked much conversation yesterday as the nation debated whether to heed the call.
Only the Prince of Wales will now kneel before the King (pictured) and promise to be his ‘feuder of life and limb’
The Homage of the People is one of several major updates to the ancient ritual to make it more inclusive and current
That led a Lambeth Palace source to insist it was an “invitation” for people watching Saturday’s ceremony to take part by vocally declaring their “true allegiance” to the monarch and his heirs, rather than an ” expectation or request’.
The order of service will read: ‘All who so wish, in the abbey and elsewhere, say together: I swear allegiance to Your Majesty and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.’
A spokesman for Lambeth Palace said: ‘The Homage of the People is particularly exciting because it is brand new.
“Our hope is at that point, when the archbishop invites people to join in, that people wherever they are, watching television at home alone at home, will say it out loud – this feeling of a big cry around the nation and around the world of support for the King.’
While it was clear that there is no dictate to do so, both Buckingham Palace and Lambeth Palace were clearly surprised yesterday by the power of feeling the provoked invitation.
Many felt their well-meaning rallying cry played into the hands of Republicans and critics of the ceremony at large, sparking an outpouring of comment and criticism on social media.
Labor MP Clive Lewis told the Guardian he thought the proposed oath would be ‘unwelcome or ignored by many’.
Republic, the anti-monarchist organization, said it was “an insulting and deaf gesture that despised the people.”
But Transport Secretary Mark Harper told Sky News he would take the oath, saying MPs already pledge allegiance to His Majesty.
The order of service will read: ‘All who so wish, in the abbey and elsewhere, say together: I swear allegiance to Your Majesty and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God’
Labor MP Clive Lewis (pictured) told the Guardian he thought the proposed oath would be ‘unwelcome or ignored by many’
He said the coronation would be a “fantastic opportunity” and a “great showcase for Britain around the world”.
Labour’s Shabana Mahmood MP agreed, saying it was a ‘nice idea to get the people involved’ and that the oath was a ‘nice gesture’.
Last night a Lambeth Palace source clarified that the invite was very optional and just a chance for people to join if they wanted to.
They said, “This is an invitation rather than an expectation or request, as you can see from the Archbishop’s introduction to the tribute.
“It’s just an opportunity that the Archbishop provides so that those who want to join in with the words spoken by the abbey congregation can do so in a very simple way, unlike previous coronations.”
“For those who do want to participate, some will want to say all the words of the tribute; some may want to say “God Save The King” at the end; others may just want it to be a moment of personal reflection. ‘
They added: ‘We live in a wonderfully diverse society with many different perspectives and beliefs, and it’s completely right for people to decide for themselves how they relate to this moment.
“Like the national anthem, it’s for people to join in if it feels right to them.
For those who may wish to join in, we hope it is a moment of joy and celebration – in the Abbey as well as in homes across the country and beyond.’
The Homage of the People is one of many major updates to the ancient ritual to make it more inclusive and current.
Key roles will be handed over to representatives of other religions, as well as the Church of England. For the first time female members of the clergy will also be involved.
Queen Camilla also becomes the first consort in history to be publicly anointed with holy oil.
While her husband’s anointing will take place behind a screen to protect the solemnity of the moment, his wife has dispensed with the canopy previously used by the sovereign’s wives such as the Queen Mother and Queen Mary.
Sources said it was her personal preference and would also help “speed up” the ceremony, which is crammed into two hours.
The King will also be heard to pray aloud for the first time with a specially commissioned ‘King’s Prayer’.
There will also be multiple outfit changes for both Charles and Camilla with two sets of robes each.
The multi-faith service also includes prayers in the traditional languages of the British Isles: Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic.