King Charles III will host his first ever Maundy service at York Minster.

Joined by The Queen Consort, the King will meet 74 men and 74 women to thank them for their service, both to Christianity and to their communities.

Each year, the monarch travels to a different cathedral for the service. Last year, the King travelled to Yorkshire to unveil a new statue of the late Queen, which now proudly sits outside the Minster. 

The Maundy service – which will be held on the 6 of April 2023 – commemorates Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.

The number of award recipients is determined by the age of the monarch. Who they are is decided by a Church of England diocese or a partner of the denomination, based on their work in the community.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell welcomed the King’s planned second visit to the Minster.

He said: “It is a great honour for The Minster, the city of York and indeed Yorkshire, that His Majesty The King along with The Queen Consort have chosen to come to York Minster to distribute Maundy money in the first year of his reign.

“We look forward to welcoming the royal couple to the city and also to have the opportunity to celebrate some of the many people who daily make a difference to people’s lives in their local communities.”