Jeremy Corbyn might soon be brushing his lips against Her Majesty The Queen’s hand when he is sworn in as a member of the centuries-old institution on Wednesday
The Labour leader from north London would not be required to kneel before the Queen, as Her Majesty has allowed him to be at ease in her presence.
Mr Corbyn, a one time rebel with revolutionary ideas, will soon be part of the British establishment as he is sworn into the Privy Council at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. He will be given the title of Right Honourable gentleman, which should please the establishment.
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The Telegraph reports:
The Labour leader is preparing to go to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday for the ceremony which will allow him to become a member of the centuries old institution.
One Westminster source said the Queen “does not want a constitutional crisis” by insisting on his genuflection, adding that the Queen accepts that “Jeremy’s republicanism is well known”.
Joining the Privy Council will mean that Mr Corbyn is allowed to style himself “right honourable” by other MPs in the House of Commons, and be given briefings on areas of national security.
Mr Corbyn will meet the Queen three times over the next five days, starting with the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday night.
The pair will then be together at the Cenotaph in Whitehall for the Act of Remembrance on Sunday morning to mark Remembrance Sunday.
Private talks between the Palace and Mr Corbyn’s office have established that the Labour leader will not have to kneel as part of the ceremony.
Buckingham Palace had agreed to be “accommodating” about Mr Corbyn’s long-held republicanism at the ceremony on November 11, sources said.
He might hop from stool to stool, before brushing his lips across her hand, copying an example set by former Labour deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott when he became a Privy Council.
However it is likely that Mr Corbyn will have to brush his lips across the Queen’s hands, as it is seen as part of the ceremony to induct new members of the Privy Council.
A royal source said: “The Queen is not someone who stands on ceremony, she wants people to feel comfortable but the Privy Council is an important mechanism and that is why it is important that he is there.”
