Oxford University was among the distinguished institutions and organisations that reaffirmed their loyalty to the monarch in a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace. King Charles followed a
17th-century tradition in which loyal addresses are presented to the sovereign. The “privileged bodies” that gathered to meet him in person in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace on March 10, 2023, were a group of 27 organisations and corporations. These organisations are considered culturally significant institutions that reflect the diverse society of the United Kingdom.
The organisations and corporations invited were drawn from the education, science, arts, and religious sectors. They included the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, London, St Andrews, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, the General Synod of the Church of England, the Bank of England, City of London Corporation, the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Military Knights of Windsor, and the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.
During the ceremony, loyal addresses in the form of short speeches were presented by individuals such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey. In response, King Charles expressed his gratitude and said, "Much has changed since the Privileged Bodies and Corporations of the United Kingdom last gathered over a decade ago to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. It has been a time of political uncertainty and a terrible pandemic. Beyond our shores, war has returned to Europe. And globally, the challenge of climate change and biodiversity loss is more urgent than ever before."
The late Queen received the privileged bodies on five occasions during her reign, including for her accession in 1952. The ceremony takes place to mark significant royal occasions, and the event was held in recognition of Charles' accession to the throne. The last time the ceremony took place was to celebrate Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, when Boris Johnson – then the London mayor – took the opportunity to present her with a commemorative Oyster travel card.
In his speech, King Charles acknowledged the essential truth that a nation’s wealth and strength are not just measured by its economy or place in the geopolitical landscape, but also by the values it embodies. He added that mutual respect, diversity, tolerance, fairness, and friendship are values that have been at the core of British life throughout history. The King expressed his appreciation and assured the organisations and corporations that their support would sustain him in the future, just as it sustained his late mother and father in the past.
The tradition of presenting loyal addresses to the sovereign has been in practice for centuries, allowing groups to publicly declare their loyalty to the crown and have the "ear" of the monarch. This function has also allowed the king or queen to hear grassroots opinions. The custom takes place to mark significant royal occasions, and this event was held in recognition of Charles' accession to the throne.
In conclusion, the ceremony was a significant event that demonstrated the loyalty and affection of various organisations and corporations towards the monarch. King Charles acknowledged the challenges facing the nation and expressed his appreciation for the contributions of the organisations and corporations that underpin the very foundations upon which the country is built. The ceremony was a reminder that a nation's strength lies not only in its economy or place in the geopolitical landscape, but also in the values it embodies. Photo by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, England, Wikimedia commons.