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Written Question
Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Monday 17th April 2023

Asked by: Lord James of Blackheath (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Coronation Oath to be sworn by His Majesty King Charles III will require him to use his power to cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all his judgments.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Coronation Oath Act 1688 requires that the Sovereign take the oath at his or her Coronation, and the text of the oath is set out in the Act. The precise form of words has been varied over successive coronations to reflect changes to the constitutional position. Except for one instance, the changes to the oath have been made without primary legislation - see the statement [1] of Sir Winston Churchill to the House of Commons in February 1953 (HC Deb 25 February 1953 vol 511 cc2091-3).

The text of the Oath will be published in due course and Parliament will be updated on any changes to the wording.

[1] CORONATION OATH CHANGES HC Deb 25 February 1953 vol 511 cc2091-32091

§The Prime Minister

I should now like to make my statement in reply to Question No. 45.

The terms of the Coronation Oath were first prescribed by the Act 1 William and Mary, chapter 6. Since then its terms have been changed at least five times. On one occasion only has the change had legislative sanction, namely the change which was introduced as a result of the Act of Union with Scotland. The Treaty of Union had provided that in Scotland the religion professed by the people of Scotland should be preserved to them and confirmed by every King on his accession, and it was thought proper that similar provision should be made for the protection of the English Church in England. The Coronation Oath was altered and enlarged accordingly.

For the many subsequent changes, large or small, which have been made in the terms of the Oath there was no legislative sanction. They were made at various times, and, in particular, after the Act of Union with Ireland, after the Disestablishment of the Irish Church, and also after the passing of the Statute of Westminster. On the last occasion the question whether the changes that were necessary to meet the new constitutional position could be made without an Act of Parliament was carefully considered. and the Lord Chancellor and the Law Officers of the day advised that they could.

I am advised by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor that this opinion was clearly correct, and that the changes now proposed, which are, perhaps, less substantial than those made in 1937, but are required to meet the new constitutional position created by the Indian Independence Act, 1947, and other statutes, can also be made without legislative sanction.

Her Majesty's Government propose to follow this long line of precedents. To accept the view that changes in the terms of the Oath which are necessary to reconcile it with a changed constitutional 2092position cannot be made except with the authority of an Act of Parliament would be to cast doubt upon the validity of the Oath administered to every Sovereign of this country since George I.

If, as I am advised, the Coronation Oath can be lawfully administered in the terms now proposed, no useful purpose would be served by legislation. It must be remembered that at Westminster the Queen will be crowned Queen not only of the United Kingdom, but also of other self-governing countries of the Commonwealth. The form of Oath now proposed has been put to each of these countries and none has raised any objection, or has suggested that it is necessary to pass legislation in its own Parliament or in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Indeed, it would not be possible in the time now remaining before the Coronation to arrange for legislation to be passed by the Commonwealth countries concerned.

§Mr. Attlee

May I say, having had some experience of these difficulties, that I think it is extremely satisfactory that agreement has been obtained throughout the Commonwealth on this Oath, and that we should be well advised to allow this to proceed without legislation?

§Mr. E. Fletcher

May 1, with respect. put this to the Prime Minister? While no one would wish to throw doubt on the validity of the Coronation Oaths in the past, in view of the fact that the Coronation Oath is a Parliamentary creation, and is intended as a limitation on the Prerogative, is it not desirable, though it may be inconvenient, that any changes that are proposed this year should have legislative sanction, for which, I am sure, there would be no difficulty in making the appropriate arrangements on a non-controversial basis? It is a matter which affects the rights of Parliament, and not merely the rights of the Executive.

§The Prime Minister

I think those important and weighty points have been covered by the answer which I have given to the House.

§Mr. Healy

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether he has considered the speech of an important member of the Irish Government in regard to this matter?

2093

§The Prime Minister

is the hon. Gentleman speaking for the Irish Government of Northern Ireland or for the Eire Government, I believe it is—the Government of the Republic?

§Mr. Healy

The official name is the Government of Ireland, not the Government of Northern Ireland, which is a very small part of Ireland.

§Mr. Emrys Hughes

Is the Prime Minister aware that there is a strong feeling in Scotland about the Oath being taken to a Queen Elizabeth II on the ground of historical inaccuracy? In view of his great claim to historical accuracy himself, will he not do something' to meet this very strong resentment in Scotland?

§The Prime Minister

I shall be very glad to hear from the hon. Member if he will put his question in the pillar box.


Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Ministry of Defence

Nov. 17 2023

Source Page: FOI responses published by MOD: week commencing 13 November 2023
Document: Copy of the King's regulations for the Royal Air Force (PDF)

Found: {c) Northern Ireland. {d) Wales. (7) Grants of freedom to RAF stations.


Commons Chamber
Illegal Migration Bill
Committee stage: Committee of the whole House (day 2) - Tue 28 Mar 2023
Home Office

Mentions:
1: Nigel Evans (CON - Ribble Valley) to remove for people who arrive in the UK from the Republic of Ireland via the land border with Northern - Speech Link
2: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down) At present, Northern Ireland is marketed internationally as part of a single entity: the island of Ireland - Speech Link
3: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down) I am grateful to the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee for that intervention. - Speech Link


Lords Chamber
Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill
2nd reading: Part 1 - Wed 23 Nov 2022
Northern Ireland Office

Mentions:
1: Lord Rogan (UUP - Life peer) the people of Northern Ireland a chance. - Speech Link
2: Lord Cormack (CON - Life peer) his death.I got to know Northern Ireland well when I had the honour of chairing the Northern Ireland - Speech Link
3: Lord Hain (LAB - Life peer) The Northern Ireland Justice Minister, the Northern Ireland judicial system and the Northern Ireland - Speech Link
4: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer) of mercy grants, issued silently in hundreds of cases and whose paperwork, I discovered, when I asked - Speech Link


Non-Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel

Nov. 02 2022

Source Page: King's or Prince's consent
Document: King's and Prince's Consent (PDF)

Found: patent; to exercise the prerogative of mercy (for example, to pardon convicted offenders);


Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Cabinet Office

Nov. 02 2022

Source Page: King's or Prince's consent
Document: King's and Prince's Consent (PDF)

Found: patent; to exercise the prerogative of mercy (for example, to pardon convicted offenders);


Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Cabinet Office

Nov. 02 2022

Source Page: King's or Prince's consent
Document: King's and Prince's Consent (PDF)

Found: patent; to exercise the prerogative of mercy (for example, to pardon convicted offenders);


Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Ministry of Justice

Sep. 20 2022

Source Page: Ministry of Justice: arm’s length bodies framework documents
Document: (PDF)

Found: Ministry of Justice: arm’s length bodies framework documents


Parliamentary Research
The Accession of King Charles III - CBP-9621
Sep. 21 2022

Found: The Accession of King Charles III


Parliamentary Research
The Coronation: history and ceremonial - CBP-9412
Oct. 11 2022

Found: Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2023 .