Royal Maundy 2025

This year taking place at Durham Cathedral, The King and Queen have attended the annual Maundy Service, during which His Majesty presented Maundy recipients – 76 men and 76 women – with two purses: one red and one white, containing Maundy Money. 

The Royal Maundy gifts are given in recognition of recipients’ outstanding Christian service and for making a difference to the lives of people in their local communities. 

Recipients are selected from Church of England dioceses across the country, and Anglican and Ecumenical partners across the UK. This year, the Recipients have been chosen from the Dioceses of the Northern Province of England and Scotland.

The white purse contains a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins, while this year the Red Purse contains a £5 coin commemorating The Queen Mother, and a 50p coin which features stories of WWII.

Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter. It commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. 

Royal Maundy can be traced back in England to the 13th century, with the first recorded Royal Distribution at Knaresborough by King John in 1210. From the 15th Century, the number of recipients has been related to the years of the Sovereign’s life.

Following the Service, The King and Queen spent time meeting members of the public outside the Cathedral.