![Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall pose with the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and guests as they attend the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy01.jpg?resize=1200%2C819&ssl=1)
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall headed to Windsor today to carry out an ancient royal tradition: the distribution of Maundy money.
![Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (L) attend the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy02.jpg?resize=1200%2C829&ssl=1)
On the Thursday before Easter, known as “Maundy Thursday” in many religious denominations, the Queen traditionally attends a church service during which she hands out specially minted coins to recognize the community work done by senior citizens. Because of her continuing mobility issues, the Queen was not able to attend this year’s service. (We also learned today that she won’t be attending church in public on Easter Sunday.) The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall stepped in to represent her and carry on the tradition.
![Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, meets members of the congregation as he represents Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1415&ssl=1)
The Prince distributed the small red and white coin purses to 96 men and 96 women who had been selected for recognition because of their work within their parishes and communities. (The number 96 is linked to the Queen’s birthday—she’ll celebrate her 96th in just a few days’ time.) Maundy Thursday observations have been held for more than a millennium. In Britain, the monarch has been distributing Maundy money in largely the same way since 1670, during the reign of King Charles II. The Royal Mint’s website offers many examples of the coins distributed over the centuries.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh meet former servicemen following the Royal Maundy service at Leicester Cathedral on April 13, 2017 in Leicester](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy04.jpg?resize=1200%2C1799&ssl=1)
Let’s have a look back at the last few years of the Royal Maundy service, shall we? The service is now held annually at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, but for many years it was held at different churches across the United Kingdom. In April 2017, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the Royal Maundy service at Leicester Cathedral. (That year, I also published a rundown of many of her previous Royal Maundy brooches.)
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II meets former servicemen following the Royal Maundy service at Leicester Cathedral on April 13, 2017 in Leicester](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1641&ssl=1)
The Queen wore pearls and the gold and diamond Botswana Sorghum Brooch for the service in Leicester that year. (A grain-themed brooch for a service commemorating the Last Supper does seem particularly appropriate.)
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II distributes the Maundy money during the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, west of London on March 29, 2018](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy06.jpg?resize=1200%2C762&ssl=1)
In March 2018, following the Duke’s retirement, the service was moved to Windsor on a more permanent basis. Here, the Queen distributes Maundy money purses at St. George’s Chapel during the 2018 service.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II attends the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, west of London on March 29, 2018](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy07.jpg?resize=1200%2C2134&ssl=1)
She carried the traditional nosegay bouquet of flowers in 2018, but she wore no brooch for the occasion. Her only accessories were her usual pearls. Perhaps a brooch would have competed poorly with the collar of her coat?
![Queen Elizabeth II and the Lord High Almoner, the Right Reverend Dr. John Inge leave the traditional Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 18, 2019 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy08.jpg?resize=1200%2C1953&ssl=1)
We most recently saw the Queen distribute Maundy money in 2019. She attended the service in April 2019, held at St. George’s Chapel, with her granddaughter, Princess Eugenie.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II takes part in the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, west of London on April 18, 2019](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy09.jpg?resize=1200%2C1550&ssl=1)
She paired pearls with the Australian Wattle Brooch, a very sunny choice, for the 2019 service.
![In this handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace, the specially-minted Maundy money usually given in person at the Royal Maundy Service in St. Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, is displayed before it is sent by post to 188 recipients along with a letter from Queen Elizabeth II, on April 9, 2020 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&ssl=1)
The pandemic meant that the planned April 2020 service had to be canceled. The special coins for the year are pictured above. You’ll note the Olympic theme of the coin on the left, meant to coincide with the games planned for that summer (which were postponed). The coin on the right is dedicated to William Wordsworth.
![In this handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace, Bill Allen, aged 100 and from Chelmsford. Bill was a dispatch rider with General Montgomery in WWII, and is a loyal ambassador for the Royal British Legion. He was one 188 recipients of a letter from Queen Elizabeth II along with the Maundy Gift of a purse of specially-minted money which is usually given in person at the Royal Maundy Service in St. Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, on April 9, 2020 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&ssl=1)
The coins were distributed to their intended recipients by post in 2020. One of the recipients that year was 100-year-old Bill Allen of Chelmsford. Buckingham Palace shared a photograph of Allen, noting that he was “a dispatch rider with General Montgomery in WWII, and is a loyal ambassador for the Royal British Legion.”
![In this handout photo provided by Buckingham Palace, Mrs Agnes Slocombe, who moved to the UK from Barbados as a young woman and has been an active member of St John’s Church West Hendon for many decades, and who is among this years recipients of Maundy money, poses for a photo on March 31, 202 in London, United Kingdom](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy12.jpg?resize=1200%2C1599&ssl=1)
The Maundy money had to once again be distributed by post in 2021. Here’s a handout photo of one of the recipients, Agnes Slocombe, who was recognized as an active member of St John’s Church West Hendon.
![Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, meets members of the congregation as he represents Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy13.jpg?resize=1200%2C1494&ssl=1)
Today, the service was finally held in person once again, though with the Prince of Wales deputizing for the Queen. You can see Charles tucking the Maundy money purse inside the hand of one of the recipients here.
![Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall hold nosegays as they pose with the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and guests as they attend the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy14.jpg?resize=1200%2C1500&ssl=1)
Charles and Camilla also posed for a formal photograph outside St. George’s Chapel after the service had ended.
![Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall holds a nosegay as she attends the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 14, 2022 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy15.jpg?resize=1200%2C1836&ssl=1)
Camilla wore a smart blue and white ensemble for the service, and she carried one of the traditional nosegay bouquets as well.
![Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attends the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, west of London on April 14, 2022](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-0414-01-maundy16.jpg?resize=1200%2C1858&ssl=1)
Sadly, she went sans brooch for the occasion. (Perhaps another case of competition with a statement collar?) But she did wear her signature diamond floral and pearl drop earrings, as well as her four-stranded pearl choker necklace with the round diamond clasp. I also spot two necklaces layered beneath her pearls: her Kiki McDonough Apollo necklace, and a gold necklace with a flat disc pendant. As usual, she also wore a stack of bracelets on her right wrist.
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