SWEARING IN THE NEW KING: - THE ACCESSION AND CORONATION OATHS - Professor Robert Hazell and Dr Bob Morris

In the Accession Declaration Act oath, the sovereign’s obligation to uphold the force of the oath is expressed by the formula ‘to the best of my powers according to law’; and in the coronation oath by the formulae ‘to the utmost of your power’ and ‘to your power’. [...] On the basis of this advice, the Prime Minister made a statement to the Commons explaining the position and that the text of the oath had the support of the Commonwealth governments.18 Unspoken in the parliamentary exchanges was the reluctance of government to face the controversy that legislation would be bound to excite.19 4.23 And it is this third part referring to a formerly dominant position. [...] Text used in 2022 I, Charles the Third by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of Northern Ireland, and of My other Realms and Territories, King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the True Protestant Religion as established by the laws of Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and par. [...] I, Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall maintain and preserve the Church of Scotland as established by the laws of Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly an Act entitled an Act for Securing the Protes. [...] SCHEDULE I [here insert the name of the Sovereign] do solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God profess, testify, and declare that I am a faithful Protestant, and that I will, according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the Throne of my Realm, uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers according to law.