‘Not our King’ graffiti sprayed on cathedral in north Wales ahead of Charles visit

Amelia Jones

Graffiti reading “Not Our King” has appeared on a wall at cathedral in north Wales ahead of the Royal Maundy service being attended by Charles III and Camilla later today.

The message, painted in large red letters on the wall of St Asaph Cathedral in Denbighshire, was partially covered with a tarpaulin while workers were seen scrubbing the wall in preparation for the royal visit later in the day.

Workers in hi-vis jackets were seen attempting to remove the paint before the King’s arrival later this morning.

The annual Maundy Thursday ceremony is taking place in north Wales this year, marking the first time the service has been held in Wales since 1982 and only the second time in its history.

The first recorded Royal Maundy service was held in 1210 by King John and commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, with the distribution of alms becoming a tradition.

For Christians, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, when he washed their feet in an act symbolising humility and service.

Charles will give recipients two purses – a white purse including a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins totalling 77 pennies, to match the King’s age, and a red purse containing a £5 coin marking 100 years since the late Queen’s birth and a 50p coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust charity.

The King is traditionally assisted in distributing the Maundy Money by the Lord High Almoner, currently the Bishop of Norwich, the Right Rev Graham Usher.

Specially commissioned Welsh music will also be performed, celebrating the return of the Royal Maundy to Wales.

The Cross of Wales, gifted by the King to the Christians of Wales and used at his Coronation, will lead the procession.

The Royal Maundy service rotates between cathedrals and abbeys across the UK each year. The change was introduced during the reign of Elizabeth II, who decided the ceremony should no longer take place solely in London.

Over the course of her reign, she visited cathedrals across the country to distribute Maundy money – a tradition that has continued under Charles III.

Despite the graffiti incident, preparations for today’s ceremony in north Wales continued ahead of the King and Queen’s arrival.