Editing Privy Council (United Kingdom) (section)

=== Oath and initiation rite ===

[[File:Viviana examined by the Earl of Salisbury, and the Privy Council in the Star Chamber.png|250px|thumb|Viviana Radcliffe examined by the Earl of Salisbury and the Privy Council in the [[Star Chamber]]. Illustration by [[George Cruikshank]] from [[William Harrison Ainsworth]]'s novel ''[[Guy Fawkes (novel)|Guy Fawkes]]''.]]

The oath of the king's council (later the Privy Council) was first formulated in the early thirteenth century. This oath went through a series of revisions, but the modern form of the oath was essentially settled in 1571.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jonathan McGovern, 'The Development of the Privy Council Oath in Tudor England', ''Historical Research'' 93, no. 260 (2020), 273–285 |journal=Historical Research |date=4 June 2020 |volume=93 |issue=260 |pages=273–285 |doi=10.1093/hisres/htaa003 |url=https://academic.oup.com/histres/article/93/260/273/5851355 |last1=McGovern |first1=Jonathan }}</ref> It was regarded by some members of the Privy Council as criminal, and possibly [[treason]]ous, to disclose the [[oath]] administered to privy counsellors as they take office.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hattersley |first=Roy |date=14 December 2000 |title=Let's abolish this absurdity |work=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian News and Media]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/dec/14/monarchy.comment |url-status=live |access-date=24 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002215820/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/dec/14/monarchy.comment |archive-date=2 October 2013 |quote=Quoting those words from the Privy Council's oath is certainly an offence and possibly treason. |authorlink=Roy Hattersley}}</ref> However, the oath was officially made public by the [[First Blair ministry|Blair Government]] in a written parliamentary answer in 1998, as follows.<ref name="pcoath">{{cite web |date=28 July 1998 |title=HC Hansard Vol 317 Col 182 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo980728/text/80728w22.htm#80728w22.html_sbhd8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015101303/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo980728/text/80728w22.htm#80728w22.html_sbhd8 |archive-date=15 October 2010 |access-date=31 August 2010 |work=[[Hansard]] |publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] |location=London}}</ref> It had also previously been read out in full in the House of Lords during debate by [[James Hope, 1st Baron Rankeillour|Lord Rankeillour]] on 21 December 1932,<ref>{{cite web |date=21 December 1932 |title=HL Deb Vol 86 cc520-35 |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1932/dec/21/cabinet-secrecy#S5LV0086P0_19321221_HOL_69 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222183422/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1932/dec/21/cabinet-secrecy#S5LV0086P0_19321221_HOL_69 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |access-date=17 December 2015 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |location=London}}</ref> and has been openly printed in full in widely published books during the 19th and 20th centuries.<ref>{{cite book |last=Low |first=Sidney |url={{GBurl|5NsrAQAAIAAJ}} |title=The Governance of England |date=1904 |publisher=[[G.P. Putnam's Sons]] |page=31 |author-link=Sidney Low}}</ref>

{{blockquote|You do swear by Almighty God to be a true and faithful Servant unto the King's Majesty, as one of His Majesty's Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done, or spoken against His Majesty's Person, Honour, Crown, or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your Power, and either cause it to be revealed to His Majesty Himself, or to such of His Privy Council as shall advertise His Majesty of the same. You will, in all things to be moved, treated, and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all Matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors, you will not reveal it unto him, but will keep the same until such time as, by the Consent of His Majesty, or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance unto the King's Majesty; and will assist and defend all Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to His Majesty, and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to His Majesty. So help you God.<ref name="pcoath" />}}

Privy counsellors can choose to [[Affirmation in law|affirm]] their allegiance in similar terms, should they prefer not to take a religious oath.<ref>{{cite web |title=Privy Counsellors – Glossary page |url=https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/privy-council/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816034005/https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/privy-council/ |archive-date=16 August 2019 |access-date=29 April 2019 |website=UK Parliament}}</ref> At the induction ceremony, the order of precedence places [[Anglicans]] (being those of the [[established church]]) before others.<ref name="bbc-20150918">{{cite news |last=Cook |first=Chris |date=18 September 2015 |title=How civil servants kept the Privy Council's secrets |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34281691 |url-status=live |access-date=18 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919004607/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34281691 |archive-date=19 September 2015}}</ref>

The initiation ceremony for newly appointed privy counsellors is held in private, and typically requires kneeling on a stool before the Sovereign and then [[kissing hands]].<ref>{{cite news |date=8 October 2015 |title=Privy Council: Guide to its origins, powers and members |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34458190 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402023330/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34458190 |archivedate=2 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="Rite">{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |date=11 November 2015 |title=Privy council: Jeremy Corbyn did not kneel for the Queen |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/nov/11/jeremy-corbyn-did-not-kneel-for-the-queen |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823094825/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/nov/11/jeremy-corbyn-did-not-kneel-for-the-queen |archivedate=23 August 2016}}</ref> According to ''The Royal Encyclopaedia'': "The new Privy Counsellor or Minister will extend his or her right hand, palm upwards, and, taking the Queen's hand lightly, will kiss it with no more than a touch of the lips."<ref name="Rite" /> The ceremony has caused difficulties for Privy Counsellors who advocate [[Republicanism in the United Kingdom|republicanism]]; [[Tony Benn]] said in his diaries that he kissed his own thumb, rather than the Queen's hand, while [[Jeremy Corbyn]] reportedly did not kneel.<ref name="Rite" /> Not all members of the Privy Council go through the initiation ceremony; appointments are frequently made by an [[Order in Council]], although it is "rare for a party leader to use such a course."<ref>{{cite news |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |date=8 October 2015 |title=Jeremy Corbyn rejects formal privy council induction by Queen |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/oct/08/jeremy-corbyn-rejects-formal-privy-council-induction-by-queen |url-status=live |access-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011222619/https://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/oct/08/jeremy-corbyn-rejects-formal-privy-council-induction-by-queen |archive-date=11 October 2016 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>