King Charles and Queen Camilla Rewrite One Royal Tradition in Historic Maundy Service
During the service, the monarch personally presented Maundy Money to members of the community.
It isn't uncommon for King Charles III and Queen Camilla to participate in several royal engagements that reflect the centuries-old traditions of the British monarchy. One such event is the historical Royal Maundy Service, where some specially minted coins are distributed to the people in a ritual that dates back several centuries. Over the past few years, the royal family has seen several drastic changes amidst controversies, but recently, King Charles III made a small but welcome change to an age-old tradition.
On Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, Charles and Camilla once again marked the special occasion at St Asaph Cathedral in Wales, with some subtle changes. Their appearance comes just a few days before the royal family's much-awaited Easter appearance.
During the service, the monarch personally presented Maundy Money to members of the community. Following tradition, the number of recipients matched his age: a total of 77 men and 77 women were honored for their service and commitment to Christian values, as reported by HELLO! Magazine. Each of these individuals was given two purses, one red and one white. The white purse included specially minted silver Maundy coins worth 77 pennies, matching the King's current age, and the red one had a £5 coin and a 50p coin, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust charity.
But one detail that has caught everyone's attention is that this is the first time that the event has been organized in North Wales in more than 800 years, and just the second time in Wales in the tradition's entire history. Grahame Davies, who is the director of mission for the Church in Wales, called this move a landmark moment, emphasizing the importance of holding the service in North Wales, as reported by the BBC. Additionally, the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, said, “The Royal Maundy honors Christ’s command that we should serve one another."
He further added, "This is lived out in the gifts that The King will give to the 154 people who have served their communities because of their Christian faith. It is a deeply meaningful occasion which we are pleased to welcome to St Asaph.” The special service also featured the Cross of Wales, a gift from Charles to the Christian community in Wales. It previously held a central role during his coronation in May 2023. Once the ceremony concluded, the royal couple met all the recipients to pose for the group photograph.
Moving ahead, Susan and Roger Whitehouse, a couple from Tywyn, Gwynedd, who received the special honor, said that they were 'very surprised' to be recognized together. They said, "We've simply tried to serve where needed. Our faith informs what we do and why we do it, and it has drawn us deeper into the life of the church while also helping us look outward to the wider community." Meanwhile, as in the past years, it is worth noting that Charles did not attend the service in 2024 due to his cancer diagnosis, but he did return to the annual event last year.
