On Good Friday David Pickup wrote:

King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, waved to crowds as they left the Maundy service at York Minster a short time ago.

The royal couple were in the city for the annual service which takes place at a different cathedral across the country every year.

Today, King Charles gave 148 people the special Maundy coins.

Large crowds welcomed the royal couple, with a small anti-monarchy protest taking place nearby.

The King and Queen Consort spoke to people in the crowd before leaving.

How old is the Maundy money tradition?
The Maundy service taking place at York Minster today actually dates back to 600AD.

Meanwhile, the specially minted coins - like the ones pictured above from the reign of Queen Elizabeth II - have kept much the same form since 1670, according to the official website of the Royal Family.

The first recorded Royal distribution was in 1210 at Knaresborough in North Yorkshire by King John.

For many years, the money was only distributed at cathedrals in London, but Queen Elizabeth II started the tradition of holding the service at venues around the country.

During her 70-year reign, the late-Queen presented Maundy Money at every Anglican cathedral in England.

What's it like to receive Maundy money?
Today, 74 men and 74 women are receiving Maundy money from King Charles in a ceremony at York Minster whose origins date back many centuries.

But what is that like to receive Maundy money from the monarch?

Four years ago, Jean Dale was presented with Maundy money by Queen Elizabeth II for her community and church work.

When the letter arrived on her doormat with "Buckingham Palace" written on the envelope, she jokes that she thought she had "been knighted".

"I was absolutely shattered when I received it. It was a lovely thought," she told BBC Radio York.

During the ceremony, Ms Dale, from Naburn, was told she could only thank the monarch.

However, she says the main issue she had was trying to work out what to wear for the changeable April weather, as well as buying a hat for the day.

To read the complete articles, see:
As it happened: King in York for Maundy service(https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-65179450)
Royal Maundy Service 2023(https://www.royal.uk/royal-maundy-service-2023)