King Charles plans to keep a tradition that allows anyone whose ancestor has played a role in a previous coronation to apply to take part in his. However, he has reportedly revoked another centuries-old tradition that effectively wrote Prince Harry out of his father’s big day.
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The Court of Claims ritual
The Court of Claims ritual used to determine which peers and gentry members took on which role at a coronation. Nowadays, it is an online application for anyone whose ancestor has played a role in a previous coronation to apply to take part in King Charles’.
People who wish to participate must prove their hereditary right and have four weeks to apply to the Coronation Claims Office. Applicants must provide their names, contact details, and an outline of the claim they wish to perform.
Oliver Dowden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said:
The new Coronation Claims Office will ensure we fulfil the King’s wish that the ceremony is rooted in tradition and pageantry but also embraces the future.
Once the application period is up, government officials will decide after consulting with ecclesiastical and ceremonial experts.
The roles for which applicants can apply mainly involve carrying specific objects, such as a white wand, the Great Gold Spurs or the Orb and the Sceptre.
According to The Telegraph, most applications are expected to come from peers of Church of England dioceses.
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Excluding Prince Harry from the coronation
According to The Sunday Times, King Charles has reportedly scrapped the centuries-old tradition of Royal Dukes paying homage to the King during his coronation before touching the crown and kissing the monarch’s right cheek. This would move effectively stop Prince Harry from having any formal role at Charles's coronation in May.
According to a ‘well-placed source’:
As things stand, there is no role for Harry in the service.
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With this change, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, and Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, would also play no formal role during the ceremony.
The only royal Duke to still perform this ritual would be the King’s eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince William. He will kneel before his father and promise to be a ‘liege man of liege and limb’.
Sources used:
- The Telegraph: King Charles keeps 700-year-old tradition as he issues call for Coronation claims
- Royal Central: King Charles removes the requirement for royal dukes to kneel before him and pay homage at his Coronation
- The Times: William knows he’s a punchbag for Harry — he’s silent but burning inside
