No. 2May 5, 2023
The Coronation of Charles III
“Homage of the People” to Replace
“Homage of the Peers”
On April 29 it was announced that the Coronation of King Charles III will include what is being called “the homage of the people.” For the first time, not only will the aristocrats gathered within Canterbury Cathedral for the coronation of the Charles III be called on by the Archbishop of Canterbury to pay “homage to the King” but everyone and their uncle is “invited” to pay homage. A spokesman for Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office, said: “The homage of the people is particularly exciting because that’s brand new. That’s something that we can share in because of technological advances, so not just the people in the Abbey, but people who are online, on television, who are listening, and who are gathered in parks, at big screens and churches.”
The Archbishop’s office says, “Our hope is at that point, when the Archbishop invites people to join in, that people wherever they are, if they’re watching at home on their own, watching the telly, will say it out loud — this sense of a great cry around the nation and around the world of support for the King.”
Only the Prince of Wales will kneel before the King and pledge to be his ‘liege man of life and limb.’ In the “Homage of the People,” Archbishop Welby will then ask “all persons of goodwill in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of the other Realms and the Territories to make their homage, in heart and voice, to their undoubted King, defender of all.”
According to the published script announced by Lambeth Palace, Archbishop Welby will say: “All who so desire, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, say together: I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.” This will be followed by a fanfare and then Welby will say “God Save The King,” and “all” will be asked to respond: “God Save King Charles. Long Live King Charles. May The King live forever.”
On April 30, the day after people across the UK were told they are “invited” to pledge allegiance to Charles III and his heirs on coronation day, fans of the Celtic Football Club in Scotland made their opposition clear. The Celtic fans delivered their message at the Scottish Cup Semi Final where Celtic defeated Rangers 1-0 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. To view video, click here. On May 3 Liverpool fans in England sent the same message at a Premier League match on their own turf against Fulham. To view Liverpool video, click here.
Also on April 30 a Sky News article reports that the appeal to the public to swear an oath of fealty “has prompted a furious reaction from far more than the usual suspects.” A May 1 Daily Beast article headline says: “King Charles’ ‘Homage of the People’ Idea Not at All Popular With the People.” “Eighty-five per cent of the U.K. population surveyed said they will not deign to cry out in support of the rather unpopular new king during the coronation,” the article wrote.
“The idea must have seemed to King Charles like an easy win for inclusivity and modernity: to scrap the homage of peers — a staple of coronations for centuries, when the royal dukes bend the knee and pledge fealty to their feudal lord — with a “homage of the people,” which would involve the populace bellowing their “true allegiance” to the monarch from their sofas, with the text scrolling on the screen. Unfortunately, it seems no one thought to check with the people first. Turns out they aren’t so keen,” the article says.
The organization named Republic said, “In a democracy it is the head of state who should swear allegiance to us. This is an offensive and tone-deaf gesture that holds the people in contempt.” Republic pointed out that Andrew, who has disgraced himself completely, is one of the “heirs.”
The Daily Beast also pointed out: “The internet, as is the general rule, was ruder, with comparisons to fascist and totalitarian states popping up among the outrage. The royals should quail to think what some people might film themselves doing when the moment comes on Saturday.”
Asked to comment on the negative response to the so-called Homage of the People, dailymail.com said a source at Lambeth Palace “stress[ed] that it was an ‘invitation’ for people watching the ceremony on Saturday to take part by vocally offering their ‘true allegiance’ to the monarch and his heirs, rather than an ‘expectation or request.'”
Here are some of the ways in which people in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland as well as Canada are saying what they think of Charles III, the monarchy and the need to abolish the monarchy and empower the people.
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