King and Queen to visit Durham

His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camila will attend a Royal Maundy Service at Durham Cathedral on Thursday 17 April.

About the Royal visit

Royal Maundy takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter Day. It is a special church service in which the King expresses his gratitude for those who serve and volunteer in their communities. The service is rooted in the tradition of Jesus washing his followers’ feet the night before his death, and goes back to medieval times.

During the service, His Majesty will present 152 recipients, 76 men and 76 women, signifying his age, with specially-minted Maundy money to thank them for their service and making a difference to people’s lives.

The King’s Durham connections

King Charles has long connections with Durham. We awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law in 1998.

He last visited in 2018, when he unveiled a plaque at our St John’s College in memory of his ancestor Dame Elizabeth Bowes, attended a concert at Durham Cathedral featuring performances by our students, and visited our Palace Green Library.

Durham Cathedral is close to many of our departments and colleges, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that also includes Durham Castle, home to our University College.

Find out more

- Interested in studying with us? Visit our undergraduate or postgraduate study pages.
- Read more about the announcement from Durham Cathedral.