'Not my King' protesters stage demonstration in York ahead of King Charles and Camilla's visit

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrived in York today to be met by anti-monarchy protesters holding ‘not my king’ banners. 

A small group of demonstrators assembled outside York Minster, where Charles is attending his first Royal Maundy service.  

Every year on Maundy Thursday, the sovereign distributes special Maundy money to local people in recognition of their work in the church and community.

It comes as Camilla was referred to as Queen Camilla in invitations for her husband’s coronation – marking the transition from the title of Queen Consort.

Meanwhile, Charles today signalled his support for research into his family’s links with the slave trade for the first time after a document emerged showing one of his predecessors owned shares in a company involved in transatlantic slavery. 

Protesters holding a banner reading ‘not my king’ gather in York prior to King Charles’ visit today 

Today, the Guardian published a ledger revealing that King William III – better known as William of Orange – had a stake in the Royal African Company.

The document, which dates from 1689 and was found in a royal archive by Virginia-based historian Dr Brooke Newman, shows a transfer of £1,000 of shares in the business to William of Orange from its governor, Edward Colston. 

In response, Buckingham Palace said that Charles took the issue of his family’s links to slavery ‘profoundly seriously’ and backed research into the issue. 

On the King’s first visit to York last year, he was egged by a Green Party activist shouting ‘this country was built on slavery’.

What is the Maundy money tradition and when did it start? 

The Maundy Service happens each year on the Thursday before Easter Sunday.

The tradition of a different cathedral hosting the Maundy Service started with Queen Elizabeth II, who decided the money should not just be distributed to the people of London. 

During the Service, The King will present each recipient with two purses: one red and one white. The white purse will contain a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins equivalent in value to the age of the Monarch.

The red purse will contain two commemorative coins, symbolising the Sovereign’s historic gift of food and clothing. 

This year, one will celebrate His Majesty’s forthcoming 75th birthday and the other will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.

The service dates back to 600AD and these special coins have kept much the same form since 1670. The first recorded Royal Distribution was at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire by King John in 1210. 

The news of Camilla’s elevation came as officials released an image of the elaborately illustrated invitation that will be sent out later this month to 2,000 guests who have secured a much-coveted place at Westminster Abbey on May 6. 

The first clue that the King’s long-held dream of having his wife crowned Queen at his side was finally to be realised came in the wording of the invitation itself: ‘The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.’

Asked about the title – when the accompanying press release itself still referred to Camilla as the Queen Consort – a senior royal aide confirmed: ‘It made sense to refer to her Majesty as The Queen Consort in the early months of His Majesty’s reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

‘Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The Coronation is an appropriate time to start using ‘Queen Camilla’ in an official capacity. All former Queen Consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name.’

It is understood that Buckingham Palace will amend its website to reflect the change next month.

King Charles and Camilla will celebrate their coronation on the Buckingham Palace balcony without Harry and Meghan if they decide to attend, it was revealed today.

His Majesty is said to want to show the world how he is slimming down Britain’s monarchy – and will reward his closest and most loyal family members including William, Kate and their three children.

A total of 15 people will be on the balcony following the coronation at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6. 

But the Sussexes, who are yet to RSVP, and Prince Andrew will not be among them. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi will also miss out.

A source told The Mirror: ‘The King has been very clear who he wants to represent the monarchy. There is little room for sentiment, this is a State occasion, not a family occasion and it is right that only the working members of the family are there at the big public moment.’ 

On the King’s first visit to York last year, he was egged by a Green Party activist shouting ‘this country was built on slavery’. Pictured: Protesters today 

The group of demonstrators gathered outside York Minister, where the ancient ceremony will take place 

Charles and Camilla visiting Talbot Yard Food Court in Malton, North Yorkshire yesterday 

His Majesty is said to want to show the world how he is slimming down Britain’s monarchy – and will reward his closest and most loyal family members including William, Kate and their three children

The Queen and Prince Philip on the balcony at the Trooping of the Colour in 2017.  Her Majesty would often have 30-40 royals there for state occasions. Charles will have 15 for the coronation and this would not include Harry and Meghan

After returning to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State coach, Charles and Camilla will stand on the balcony to wave to crowds and watch a RAF flypast. 

They will be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children – Prince George, nine; Princess Charlotte, seven and Prince Louis, four. Edward and Sophie, the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, will be there.

The Buckingham Palace balcony line-up in full

King Charles III and Queen CamillaPrince of Wales and Princess of WalesPrince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, 5Princess Anne and Tim LaurencePrince Edward and SophieDuke and Duchess of GloucesterDuke of Kent and his sister Princess Alexandra

Charles’ sister Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, will be by the King’s side with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent, 87, his sister Princess Alexandra, 86, will also attend, as a thank you for their loyalty to the Queen and their decades of work for the Royal family.

The source added: ‘The balcony moment will be the King’s final presentation of a slimmed down monarchy, which of course will be even further slimmed down once the Gloucesters, Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra finally step away from public life and into their well earned retirements.

‘It is a final thank you for them and a nod to their support of his mother during her 70 year reign.’

Royal insiders say they are still ‘none the wiser’ as to whether Harry and Meghan plan to come to the Coronation, despite the deadline for RSVPs closing on Monday.

Sources have said that the April 3 cut-off date has now passed and staff have still not been told whether the King’s estranged son and his wife are accepting his invitation to attend, even though the event is now just a month away.

The issue is said to be causing a ‘headache’ for organisers, who are trying to finalise details such as seating arrangements, cars, and security for VIPs attending the historic ceremony on May 6.

And even if they did decide to attend, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be allowed to stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony next to the King and Queen because they are no longer working royals.

The monarch will be joined by a select few who show the ‘heartbeat and future of his family’ and who have dedicated their lives to public service. Charles and Camilla will arrive at Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey in a Gold State coach, followed by the ‘final group of 15’ which would not make room for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Royal insiders say they are still ‘none the wiser’ as to whether Harry and Meghan plan to come to the Coronation, despite the deadline for RSVPs closing on Monday (Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex, King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured in September 2022)

Sources have said that the April 3 cut-off date has now passed and staff have still not been told whether the King’s estranged son and his wife are accepting his invitation to attend, even though the event is now just a month away (Meghan and Harry pictured in New York in December 2022)

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on Harry and Meghan’s non-RSVP, although an aide said it was unlikely there would be such a strict cut-off date for family members as there would be other guests.

But one source said: ‘Everything is still up in the air and there’s only a month to go.

‘All people have been told is that ‘it should hopefully be resolved soon’. But in the meantime the teams are trying to finalise plans for 2,000 guests, many of whom are international heads of state and VIPs. It’s a headache.’

The Daily Mail first revealed last year that Charles would be inviting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his coronation, despite the many brickbats they have thrown at the King, his wife and his wider family.

The Sussexes later confirmed they had received an invitation by email. Relations are so bad that the King and Prince William have not spoken to the California-based couple for several months.

One newspaper sympathetic to the Sussexes reported yesterday that they had been in ’email correspondence’ with the palace recently but said Harry was in a ‘predicament’ about whether to attend.

The prince has previously demanded that his family apologise to him and Meghan over how they were allegedly treated, and said he would need to sit down and talk to his father and brother if they were to consider coming.

The Mail subsequently revealed, however, that the King and his eldest son are in no mood to ‘pander’ to his demands.

Despite the awkwardness that would ensue if either Harry or Meghan were come, the King is understood to be determined to do the right thing and invite his younger son.

And a game of transatlantic ‘ping pong’ has apparently been going on for weeks now about arrangements should the Sussexes attend.

In the meantime Buckingham Palace staff have been ordered to plan as if they were coming, suggesting it wasn’t a definite and immediate ‘no’.

But this is causing problems for staff, who say: ‘Switching things like seating arrangements are fairly easy. But the thing that is causing more of a headache, is the security, cars and other logistical matters.

‘Any plans that mesh with the rest of the family are more important and problematic.

The issue is causing a ‘headache’ for organisers, who are trying to finalise issues such as seating arrangements, cars, and security for the Coronation on May 6 (pictured in June 2022)

Buckingham Palace declined to comment, although an aide said it was unlikely there would be such a strict cut-off date for family members as there would be other guests (King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured marking the Coronation next month)

‘There’s clearly a lot going on behind the scenes in terms of talks between members of the family and their offices. But at this stage in proceedings people could just do with some clarity.

‘There are now two plans, one for if they do come and another if they don’t. It’s another layer of responsibility that staff could do without.’

Another family friend said it seemed deeply ‘unfair’ to the King and Queen Consort to have uncertainty over the Sussexes hanging over their heads when they just wanted to get on and plan ‘such a wonderful and historic day of celebration’.

‘Regardless of everything that’s happened, a simple yes or no would be polite and suffice,’ they added.

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