First Maundy Money for the New King

On 6 April, the soon to be crowned King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla participated in a centuries old British ceremony that traditionally takes place on the Thursday before Easter Sunday, Maundy Thursday.

This year was the first such service since the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the first time that the King distributed Maundy money in his relatively new role as monarch and head of the Church of England.

What is Maundy money?

Maundy Thursday is part of the Christian celebration of Easter and marks the night of the Last Supper as told in the Bible. The word Maundy comes from the Latin ‘mandatum’, or ‘command’ which refers to the instructions Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper whilst washing their feet.