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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Nia Dalton

Prince William slammed for not 'learning two lines' to pledge allegiance to King Charles

Disappointed viewers are criticising Prince William online for reading off cue cards at the King's Coronation service in Westminster Abbey.

Unimpressed people have taken to social media to slam William for not "learning two lines" in preparation for the moment on his father's big day.

Footage of the ceremony showed William pledging his allegiance off a sheet of paper held up for him at eyeline, moments after Charles was crowned The King.

He said: "I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you, and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God."

Viewers weren't impressed by his lack of effort in learning the short speech (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

One person tweeted: "How do none of them know their lines? William pledging allegiance while gazing off to the side to read the cue card seems somewhat lacking in sincerity."

While broadcaster Nicola Thorp wrote on Twitter: "William had 40 years to learn two lines and still read from a card that someone else held in front of his face. And people say the royals don't work hard…"

A third said: "Can't believe William read his line off a cue card. Even Tony Hancock could have remembered that."

"William had one line," another commented, and someone else tweeted: "Have they not had enough decades to practice?"

People took to social media to rant in agreement about the moment (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

A royal fan was disappointed that William wasn't able to make "meaningful eye contact" with his father while he was reading the speech.

Others also noticed that William appeared to avoid eye contact with his father through much of the homage.

The moment finished with William kissing Charles on the cheek and the King was seen to say a few words to his elder son.

Charles became the 40th reigning sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, the nation's coronation church since 1066, as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed St Edward's Crown on his head.

The historic moment, watched around the globe, was a fulfilment of the King's destiny following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last September after a 70-year reign.

The Coronation is a deeply religious ceremony steeped in symbolism and its prayers took the theme of "Called to Serve", an attribute associated with the late Queen who pledged her life to the Commonwealth.

Before the crowning the archbishop delivered a sermon to the 2,300 guests, a gathering of world leaders, celebrities, UK politicians, foreign royalty, everyday heroes and the royal family.

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