UK in unison: Millions of people to swear allegiance to King Charles during coronation

The coronation ceremony of King Charles next week will allow people across the United Kingdom and abroad to pay allegiance to the monarch for the first time in royal history. Known as the Homage of the People, the one-of-a-kind public pledge will see people swear aloud their allegiance in a “chorus of millions of voices" as they tune into the event on television or online, thus replacing the conventional Homage of the Peers.

In unison, the public will be invited to say the declaration: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God." “A chorus of millions of voices [will be] enabled for the first time in history to participate in this solemn and joyful moment," Lambeth Palace said, according to The Guardian. 

UK PM Rishi Sunak to read book of Colossians at coronation

The coronation, scheduled for May 6, will be an event of many firsts, from a female clergy taking the spotlight to King Charles praying out loud. It will also mark the first time that representatives from various cultural communities will grace the event and help it become more inclusive than ever before. Rishi Sunak, the first Indian-origin PM of the United Kingdom, will do a reading of the Bible. 

While such acts are barred under the Church of England law, a spokesperson for Lambeth Palace, said: “There is no issue about [Sunak’s] personal faith, we’re delighted that he is doing [this]." The regal event will also see the King singing a special prayer in English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish as a tribute to the UK's “rich heritage". 

This weekend, Lambeth Palace released the coronation liturgy and said that the new changes will “reflect the diversity of our contemporary society". Initially, the coronation was "an act of Christian worship", according to archbishop Justin Welby. However, Welby says that no matter what faith people come from, they are bound to "find ancient wisdom and new hope that brings inspiration and joy", thanks to the biggest royal event of the year.