King Charles Gave People a Gift During His Wales Visit That Could Be Worth Hundreds of Pounds

King Charles handed out gifts during his visit to Wales this week that could be worth hundreds of pounds, as part of the historic Royal Maundy service held in north Wales for the first time.

The King and Queen arrived at St Asaph Cathedral on Thursday, April 2, where Charles presented traditional Maundy gifts to 77 men and 77 women — one for each year of his age — recognising outstanding Christian service and community contribution.

What the recipients received

Each person was given two leather purses:

- A white purse containing specially minted silver Maundy coins totalling 77 pennies  

- A red purse containing:  

  - A £5 coin marking 100 years since Queen Elizabeth II’s birth  

  - A 50p coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust  

These coins are rarely produced and highly collectible. The Royal Mint currently lists Maundy sets priced between £120 and £785, depending on age and condition — meaning this year’s recipients have been handed gifts potentially worth several hundred pounds.

‘It was just so, so special’

Jean Carthy, 81, from Towyn, said she initially thought the nomination letter was a scam:

“Even this morning I was wondering why I was there. It was just so, so special… He gave me the purses and said ‘thank you for the work you do’.”

Colin Pengelly, 77, from Castle Caereinion, described the moment as “humbling”:

“The King put the purses in my hand and said ‘thank you for all you have done over the years’. I said to him ‘thank you too, keep doing it’.”

Crowds, protesters and a cleaned‑up message

Supporters lined the streets with Union and Welsh flags to greet the royal couple. Further up the road, protesters from Republic held banners calling for transparency around royal conduct.

Hours before the visit, graffiti reading “Not our King” was scrubbed from a wall in the cathedral grounds.

A historic service

The Royal Maundy tradition dates back to 1210, commemorating the Last Supper and the distribution of alms. This year’s bilingual service featured specially composed music, including A Sacred Benediction sung by soprano Rebecca Evans.

As they left the cathedral, Charles and Camilla greeted schoolchildren and well‑wishers. The Queen wore a navy Dior ensemble with a sapphire and diamond brooch once owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

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