This novelty in the ceremony has provoked criticism among the republican sectors
30 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The details of next Saturday’s ceremony for the coronation of King Charles III of England published this Sunday by the Archbishopric of Canterbury include a new tradition by which all subjects are asked to take an oath of loyalty to the monarch and his heirs, which has led to the rejection of the republican sectors.
“I swear that I will render true loyalty to His Majesty and to his heirs and successors in accordance with the law. May God help me,” reads the text published so that all citizens can recite it in parks, houses, bars or wherever each person is in that moment. The goal is to swear allegiance to the monarch with “a chorus of millions of voices.”
This oath replaces the traditional “homage of the peers” in which members of the aristocracy lined up to honor the new monarch. Now it will be only the heir, Prince William, who will honor the king.
The Minister of Transport of the British Government, Mark Harper, has already expressed his support for the new formula and has recalled that the deputies already “swear allegiance to her majesty” when they take office, he explained in statements to Sky News. Harper believes the coronation is a “fantastic opportunity” and a “great showcase for Britain.”
From the opposition Labor Party, campaign manager Shabana Mahmood has opined that it is “a lovely idea to involve people” and that the oath gives the ceremony a “lovely touch”.
However, the co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsey, has explained that he will see the coronation because “it is a key moment for the nation”, but considers that the oath “is something quite old-fashioned”.
Another environmental official, Jenny Jones, has suggested that instead of asking for a loyalty oath, the king could invest the more than 100 million pounds that the coronation will cost to hire nurses. “Asking us to chant our allegiance seems odd when so many of us believe the monarchy is an outdated institution in need of drastic overhaul. Plus I think the king is rich enough to pay for his own coronation instead of us as taxpayers.” “, he argued.
The anti-monarchist organization Republic has already called protests against the coronation. “Asking people to swear allegiance to Carlos and his heirs implies swearing allegiance to Andrés. In a democracy it is the head of state who must swear allegiance to us. It is an offensive and insensitive gesture that despises people,” he argued. .
As King of England Charles III is also the head of the Anglican Church, but at his coronation and for the first time in history there will be representation of other faiths. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, a Hindu religion, will read a passage from the Bible.
Other developments include a prayer to be read by the King in English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish to recognize Britain’s “rich heritage”. Anglican bishops will also participate.
These novelties “reflect the diversity of our contemporary society”, highlighted the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, after the publication of the entire liturgy.
