Ahead of his Coronation in May at Westminster Abbey, King Charles III is taking part in a tradition observed since the seventeenth century. On Thursday 9 March, he will receive the Privileged Bodies at Buckingham Palace.
The Privileged Bodies are a sepcific group of organisations that have historically been allowed to address the monarch. Many different areas of society are represented amongst the 27 groups.
The church is represented by The General Synod of the Church of England, The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, The Roman Catholic Church of England and Wales, as well as others.
Educational institutions are represented by the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of St. Andrews, and other institutions.
The Royal Academy represents the sciences, while the Royal Academy of Arts represents the arts.
Many cities and regions are represented, including London, Windsor and Berkshire.Ā
At the ceremony, a representative of each organisation will give a Loyal Address, or a short speech, to The King. After all organisations have spoken, King Charles will then give a response.
The last time that the monarch received the addresses of the Privileged Bodies was in 2012 when Queen Elizabeth II met with representatives to mark her Diamond Jubilee. In her speech, The Queen recognised the importance of these organisations.
Her Late Majesty said ”For those bodies in the fields of education, science and the arts, you have added to our intellectual capital and enhanced our reputation for ingenuity and creativity; the Church and other religious bodies have offered a spiritual and social framework, sustained communities and helped the disadvantaged; while the civic and other bodies have provided vital services to support people in their daily lives. All of you have worked to promote cooperation and friendship within the communities of the United Kingdom, and the wider Commonwealth community.”
