What is given today is for the gain of all. For Jesus Christ announced a Kingdom in which the poor and oppressed are freed from the chains of injustice.

The blind see. The bruised and broken-hearted are healed.

That Kingdom sets the aims of all righteous government, all authority.

And the Kingdom also sets the means of all government and authority. For Jesus doesn't grasp power or hold onto status.

The King of Kings, Jesus Christ, was anointed not to be served but to serve.

He creates the unchangeable law of good authority: with the privilege of power comes the duty to serve.

Service is love in action.

We see active love in our care for the most vulnerable, the way we nurture and encourage the young, in the conservation of the natural world. We have seen those priorities in the life of duty lived by our King.

Today we have the honour of being in this Abbey with so many who show such love; you work with charities and organisations, you build community, you serve the nation in Armed Forces, in emergency services, and so many other ways.

Next door are 400 or more extraordinary young people in St Margaret's Church, whose lives speak of service.

Around the world in the Realms and Commonwealth are so many more.

You live your lives for the sake of others.

The unity you show, the example you give, is what binds us together and offers societies that are strong, joyful, happy and glorious.

They bear heavy weights for us.

And the weight of the task given today, Your Majesties, is only bearable by the Spirit of God, who gives us the strength to give our lives to others.

With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the King is given freely what no ruler can ever attain through will, or politics, or war, or tyranny: the Holy Spirit draws us to love in action.

This is promised by Jesus who put aside all privilege, because, as the first reading tells us, God will give all things for our sake, even His own life.

His throne was a Cross.

His crown was made of thorns.

His regalia were the wounds that pierced his body.

Each of us is called by God to serve.

Whatever that looks like in our own lives, each of us can choose God's way today.

We can say to the King of Kings, God Himself, as does the King here today, ‘give grace that in thy service I may find perfect freedom'.

In that prayer, there is promise beyond measure, joy beyond dreams, hope that endures.

By that prayer, for every King, every ruler, and, yes, for every person for all of us, we are opened to the transforming love of God.

• Justin Welby is Archbishop of Canterbury
• Homily delivered at the Coronation of King Charles III. First published by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Queen Elizabeth's funeral last year is reported to have attracted more than 4 billion viewers, making it perhaps the most-watched event in history.

This was the finest moment for the current Earl Marshall, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, more formally known as His Grace the Most Noble Duke of Norfolk. (Pictured.)

The 18th Duke spent 20 years planning the late queen's funeral but has had far less time to arrange the coronation of the United Kingdom's new monarch, King Charles III, on Saturday, May 6.

Despite making the news for dangerous driving and his recent divorce and remarriage, Fitzalan-Howard will try to be as inconspicuous as possible at the coronation, just as he was at the queen's recent funeral, which will be difficult for a man wearing the most extravagant uniform outside the military or the Church of England.

Since 1484 the Earl Marshal has supervised royal events through the College of Arms with assistance from quaintly named characters such as Garter King of Arms and Rouge Dragon Pursuivant.

The payment these heralds receive is appropriately medieval.

Although the Dukes of Norfolk have held this position since 1672, the first Earl Marshal of the Howard family was John, 1st Duke of Norfolk, in 1483.

A few other families have also had a turn, especially during the tumultuous Tudor era.

The most peculiar choice was Henry VIII, made Earl Marshal by his father at 3.

Unsurprisingly, there is confusion bordering on bewilderment about this post.

The Howard family has held different titles going back more than seven centuries.

On occasion, these have been stripped from them — most notably during the reign of Elizabeth I.

The unrelentingly Catholic head of the family had his dukedom removed, along with all his income.

It would have been little consolation then, but Philip Howard was eventually made a saint, canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

Philip Howard, who should have been the 5th Duke of Norfolk, died at the Tower of London in 1595, accused of being a Catholic and a Jesuit conspirator. Philip's father, Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, was beheaded at the same location despite denying being a Catholic before the axe came down.

Similar fates befell the 4th Duke's father and grandfather.

It became a tradition among the Howards to suffer for being Catholic.

The Howard family tells us much about British history, especially Catholic history.

The Dukes of Norfolk have had demotions — promotions have been difficult as they have been at the top for so long anyway.

Some aspired to be kings, while others have been successful statesmen, generals, poets, and cardinals.

One was committed to an Italian insane asylum.

Most clung to their Catholicism, while a few did not.

Others merely talked about converting.

Duke Henry, appointed by Charles II when the monarchy was restored after Cromwell's republic, told the diarist John Evelyn that he "will go to Church and become Protestant" but couldn't bring himself to do so.

His son did instead.

It is the Howards' abilities and persistence that helped rehabilitate Catholics as acceptable members of British society. Continue reading

In another first since the Reformation, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will bless the new monarch at the end of the ceremony.

The service is said to reflect contemporary society and will also feature leaders from Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities.

Along with Cardinal Nichols, The Catholic Church will be represented by bishops from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is representing Pope Francis.

The newly appointed apostolic nuncio to Great Britain, Spanish Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, will also attend.

"The service contains new elements that reflect the diversity of our contemporary society," said Archbishop Justin Welby, spiritual leader of the Church of England.

"It is my prayer that all who share in this service, whether they are of faith or no faith, will find ancient wisdom and new hope that brings inspiration and joy."

The ceremony will also include female bishops for the first time; hymns and prayers will be sung and spoken in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic, and English.

Public invited to say oath

For the first time in history, public participation will be a part of the ceremony, with members of the public invited to say the oath to the King out loud.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will ask those in attendance to swear allegiance to the monarch. There will be a fanfare before the Most Reverend Justin Welby leads the crowd in saying, "God Save The King," with attendees responding, "God Save King Charles. Long Live King Charles. May The King live forever."

Cardinal Nichols said: "I think it is a very remarkable moment, it is obviously something quite new."

He told Sky News "the important thing to remember" was that the new Homage of the People, which will replace the traditional Homage of Peers, was "an invitation, it is not a command."

Nichols added: "If that is what you want to do, here is your moment to express your sense of loyalty and your sense of support, and maybe prayer, for the King.

"He [the Archbishop of Canterbury] has offered a formula of words, but I take that as an offering as well.

"It is a lovely invitation, and I hope people will take it up in their own way to express what hopefully is in their hearts, that they wish King Charles God's blessing and they wish him well in his spirit of service which he brings to this coronation."

After the coronation ceremony, a joint greeting from other religions will also be read. According to the programme representatives of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism will greet Charles III as "neighbours in faith."

Sources

The Tablet

AP News

America Magazine

Sky News