Prince William to kneel, pledge loyalty to King Charles III during coronation
Prince William's role in his father King Charles III's coronation has been revealed.
The Prince of Wales, who is first in line to the British throne, will swear his loyalty to Charles on Saturday in a ceremony known as "The Homage of Royal Blood," according to the Church of England's coronation liturgy.
William will kneel before his father, placing his hands in between Charles' hands as he says, "I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God."
The ceremonious vow takes place shortly after Charles' crowning and "The Homage of The Church of England," which is carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Following William's oath is the "Homage of The People," which is also being led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This is a new part to the coronation, which invites the general public to declare: "I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God."
The Archbishop will then say, "Got save the King," inviting the public to respond, "God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May The King live forever."
The palace wants the coronation to demonstrate that the monarchy still has a role to play in a multicultural nation struggling to deal with a cost-of-living crisis, budget cuts and a wave of strikes by public-sector workers.
While there was widespread respect for Queen Elizabeth II, as demonstrated by the tens of thousands of people who waited hours to file past her coffin after she died in September, there is no guarantee that reverence will transfer to her eldest son.
There are no defined speaking roles in the coronation liturgy for William and Kate's children Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 5, who follow their father in the line of succession.
Prince Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, also does not have a defined role.
Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for Harry and his wife Duchess Meghan confirmed to USA TODAY last month that the Duke of Sussex will attend Charles' and Queen Consort Camilla's coronation.
Meghan will not be attending the official crowning for Britain's new monarch. Instead, the Duchess of Sussex will stay in California with the couple's children, Prince Archie, 3, and Princess Lilibet, 1.
Archie's birthday falls on the same day as the coronation.
Contributing: Danica Kirka, The Associated Press
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince William's role in King Charles III's coronation revealed
