King distributes coins in York in first Royal Maundy Service
It took place at York Minster
Last updated 6th Apr 2023
King Charles and Queen Camilla have attended their first Royal Maundy service in York.
His Majesty distributed commemorative coins to 74 men and 74 women who have made a difference to their communities.
Their Majesties arrived at York Minster to cheers from hundreds of people who had lined the streets of the city waiting for the royal arrival.
During the service, the numbers waiting in the sunshine around the cathedral swelled to thousands and, after the royal couple emerged, they spent 20 minutes in the sunshine talking to the crowd in a lengthy walkabout.
With Camilla wearing a navy and white dress by Fiona Clare and a Philip Treacy hat, they were greeted at the Great West Doors of the Minster by the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Dominic Barrington, and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.
The royal couple were presented with the traditional nosegay, a small flower bouquet, as they entered the cathedral and sat as the service got under way.
The King then moved around the minster presenting 74 men and 74 women with the Maundy money as the congregation of about 1,500 looked on.
The money is presented to thank the recipients for their outstanding Christian service and for making a difference to the lives of people in their local communities.
Charles presented each recipient with a red and a white purse, stopping to chat with many.
The white purse contained a set of specially-minted silver Maundy coins equivalent in value to the age of the King. The red purse contained two commemorative coins.
This year, one celebrates the King's forthcoming 75th birthday and the other commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.
The couple signed the visitors' book before they left and posed for photographs on the minster steps.
The King looked relaxed as he embarked on a walkabout.
Maundy Thursday commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, and is one of the most ancient ceremonies retained by the Church of England.
The first recorded royal distribution was at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, by King John in 1210, according to Buckingham Palace.
Demonstrators outside service
Republican protesters demonstrating outside the Royal Maundy service said they are expecting more than a thousand people to protest at the coronation but promised they will keep it "fairly light-hearted".
A group of around 30 people chanted "not my King" and held up placards as Charles and Camilla arrived at York Minster on Thursday.
But they were outnumbered by the thousands who turned out to welcome the King and Queen Consort to the city and also outnumbered by the scores of police who were stationed on the streets for the visit.
Graham Smith, CEO of the group Republic, said the protest will be bigger at the coronation, promising to make themselves "unmissable" during the day.
Mr Smith said: "We're thinking it's going to be over a thousand people at the coronation itself.
"We're not quite sure what we're going to do but we may have other groups along the route.
"But, certainly, there will be one large protest in the middle, on the procession route.
"And it will be a lot of this really, lots of 'not my King' placards - we'll be making some noise. There'll be a bit of a party atmosphere, trying to engage the people around us and keep it fairly light-hearted.
"And we'll make sure that when the procession goes past we are unmissable."
Mr Smith said: "We'll be protesting at the coronation and beyond just to really challenge the idea of a succession of head of state and to say we want an election instead of a coronation - a choice instead of chance."
He said he and his fellow protesters got a "mixed reaction" in York, admitting that the majority of those gathered outside the minster did not agree with them.
"Some of them get annoyed but it's a free country and we can all stand here and demonstrate our support or our opposition," he said.