Yesterday, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the 2026 Royal Maundy Service at St Asaph Cathedral in north Wales, which is the UK’s smallest ancient cathedral.
This year’s service marked the second time in its history that the service has taken place in Wales, last occurring in 1982 at St David’s Cathedral.
Following tradition, The King and Queen were presented with the nosegay – a small flower bouquet, to literally make the nose gay (happy) – as they entered the Cathedral, and sat as the service began.
Charles then walked along a line of recipients to distribute Maundy Money, saying a few words of gratitude to each as the purses were given out. This continues the tradition of royal alms on this special day of Maundy Thursday in the Christian calendar, with the recipients being chosen for their service to churches and communities.
During the ceremony, recipients received two purses: one red and another white. Maundy coins were given to 77 women and 77 men, representing the Monarch’s age. This is based on a decree dating back to the time of Henry IV.
The white purse contained a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins, equivalent in value to the age of the Monarch (77p). The red purse contained a £5 coin commemorating 100 years since Elizabeth II’s birth, and a 50p coin that celebrated the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust.
The sum is nominal, less than £6, but the coins are specially struck and for most recipients a special memento, and their worth far outstretches the face value.
This year’s service featured specially commissioned music by Welsh composers and musicians, to celebrate the return of the Maundy Service to Wales.
A notable feature of the day was an appearance from the processional Cross of Wales, a gift from The King to the Christians of Wales and cross that was used on his May 2023 Coronation. The Cross of Wales contains a fragment of the True Cross, a gift to The King from Pope Francis and believed to be part of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
After the service concluded, Charles and Camilla joined the Royal Maundy congregation for the traditional group photo outside the West Door, before taking time to meet members of the community.
The high street was lined with hundreds of people hoping to meet the royal couple. However, there was also a group of anti-Monarchy protestors, who held a banner which had photos of Charles, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince William with the words ‘What are you hiding? Royal Epstein inquiry now’.
Where does the Maundy Service come from?
The service on Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus washing the feet of the apostles at the Last Supper; it takes place every year on the Thursday before Easter Sunday, but the royal ceremony of awarding gifts on this day dates back to 600AD.
The first English Monarch to be recorded as distributing alms at a Maundy service was King John, of Magna Carta fame, in 1210. In Knaresborough, Yorkshire, the King donated food, clothes and other gifts but it was three years later, in 1213, that the record of a silver coin distribution was made.
By 1363, under Edward III, the Monarch washed the feet of peasants, imitating Jesus. This was a tradition that ceased in the 18th century and revived by George V.
Charles has continued the tradition his late mother also held, in holding the Royal Maundy Service is held at different cathedrals or abbeys around the UK.
In 2024, Queen Camilla made royal history as the first consort to helm the ceremony in 2024 and distributed coins at Worcester Cathedral on behalf of The King who was undergoing treatment for cancer.
