Archbishop of York says he will 'represent North' at Coronation

The Archbishop of York has said he hopes to "represent the people of the North" at the Coronation on Saturday.

Stephen Cottrell said he expected the event to be "the grandest service" that he had ever taken part in.

He has previously revealed that his wife urged him to buy a new pair of shoes for the special day.

The archbishop said he would attend the service at Westminster Abbey alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, and would "assist" the King and Queen Consort.

Archbishop Cottrell, who welcomed Charles and Camilla to York Minster in April when they visited the city to distribute Maundy Money, said he felt "privileged, humbled and overjoyed" to play a role in so many historic events.

He was also involved in Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee and the funeral service of the late monarch.

"Somehow it's during my term of office that these great historic things have taken place," he said.

Speaking about the Coronation, he said: "I hope I will do it in a way that represents the people of the North and hopefully bring a human touch to it all.

"On the one hand this is the grandest service that I will ever have taken part in, the grandest service that most of us have ever seen. And yet the service is also a simple one."

The archbishop also revealed, during an earlier visit to York College and University Centre, that his wife had criticised the state of his shoes ahead of the event and urged him to buy new footwear.

"I normally only buy a new pair of Dr Martens every five years," he told staff and students. "But my wife spotted a big hole in one and said 'there's no way you are going to a coronation in those shoes'."

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