Viewers of King Charles's coronation asked to swear allegiance to monarch in first multi-faith ceremony

29 April 2023, 22:57 | Updated: 29 April 2023, 23:11

Those watching the King's Coronation at home, in pubs and in parks will be invited to swear their allegiance to the monarch aloud during the ceremony.

Replacing the traditional homage of the peers, members of the public will be asked to declare during the ceremony: “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 the Archbishop of Canterbury proclaims "God save the King", the public will then be asked to repeat: "God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live forever."

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The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla next Saturday will feature for the first time faith leaders from Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and more.

A Lambeth Palace spokesperson said: "Lambeth Palace and Buckingham Palace are pleased to confirm the names of the Faith Leaders and Representatives who will deliver a Greeting to His Majesty The King at the end of the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May."

They include Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, KBE (Judaism), The Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala (Buddhism), The Rt. Hon. The Lord Singh of Wimbledon, CBE (Sikhism), Radha Mohan das (Hinduism) and Aliya Azam, MBE (Islam).

Rehearsals for the Coronation have begun inside a set designed to resemble Westminster Abbey inside the Buckingham Palace ballroom.

And royal fans have begun setting up tents on the Mall to secure the best view possible of next weekend's fanfare.

Lambeth Palace said of the public cry of allegiance: “A chorus of millions of voices [will be] enabled for the first time in history to participate in this solemn and joyful moment”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said the ceremony will "recognise and celebrate tradition" while also featuring "new elements that reflect the diversity of our contemporary society".

After the service is over, the King will receive a special greeting by the Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist leaders in attendance.

Lambeth Palace said this "unprecedented gesture" reflects Britain's "religious diversity".

The latest update comes a day after new photos of King Charles show the monarch beaming with the Queen Consort.

The monarch and Camilla were pictured smiling standing side by side in Buckingham Palace's blue drawing room, the King in a Anderson and Sheppard suit, and Camilla in a blue wool crepe coat dress from Fiona Clare.

She is also wearing pearl drop earrings owned by the late Queen and a pearl necklace from her private collection.

They stand side-by-side in front of a portrait of George V, which was painted shortly after his coronation in 1911.

They were released alongside individual portraits of the pair in which they are seated.

The King is shown sitting in a giltwood and silk upholstered armchair from 1829. It was given to George IV to furnish Windsor Castle.

The Queen Consort sits in an armchair dated to 1812 which was most likely commissioned by George IV when he was Prince of Wales.

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