King distributes coins in first Royal Maundy service

Charles and Camilla attended the service at York Minster.

The King and Queen Consort attending the Royal Maundy service at York Minster (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

The King has attended his first Royal Maundy service, distributing commemorative coins to 74 men and 74 women who have made a difference to their communities.

Charles arrived at York Minster with the Queen Consort to cheers from hundreds of people who had lined the streets of the city waiting for the royal arrival.

During the service, the numbers waiting in the sunshine around the cathedral swelled to thousands and, after the royal couple emerged, they spent 20 minutes in the sunshine talking to the crowd in a lengthy walkabout.

With Camilla wearing a navy and white dress by Fiona Clare and a Philip Treacy hat, they were greeted at the Great West Doors of the Minster by the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Dominic Barrington, and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.

The royal couple were presented with the traditional nosegay, a small flower bouquet, as they entered the cathedral and sat as the service got under way.

The King then moved around the minster presenting 74 men and 74 women with the Maundy money as the congregation of about 1,500 looked on.

The money is presented to thank the recipients for their outstanding Christian service and for making a difference to the lives of people in their local communities.

Charles presented each recipient with a red and a white purse, stopping to chat with many.

The white purse contained a set of specially-minted silver Maundy coins equivalent in value to the age of the King. The red purse contained two commemorative coins.

This year, one celebrates the King’s forthcoming 75th birthday and the other commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.

The couple signed the visitors’ book before they left and posed for photographs on the minster steps.

The King looked relaxed as he embarked on a walkabout.

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, and is one of the most ancient ceremonies retained by the Church of England.

The first recorded royal distribution was at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, by King John in 1210, according to Buckingham Palace.