Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has declined to attend today’s meeting of the Privy Council due to “private engagements”.
The politician, who was elected leader of his party last month, was invited to attend the meeting of the body of senior politicians and eminent figures and would have been the first opportunity for Mr Corbyn to be sworn in to the ceremonial group.
But a spokesman for the Labour leader said: “Jeremy was invited but couldn’t make it due to private engagements.”
The Privy Council, which has over 600 lifelong members, including government ministers, bishops and judges, dates back to Norman times when monarchs took advice from the royal court.
It accepts opposition leaders to allow them to receive secret briefings from the security services.
A solemn oath is taken stating they will not reveal any of the information they are given.
Turning down the invitation has continued to fuel uncertainty over whether the lifelong republican will declare allegiance in person to the Queen.
The Daily Telegraph reported Mr Corbyn could avoid having to kneel before the Queen by being sworn in by an Order in Council without being present.
No alternative date had yet been set for the process, his spokesman said, adding that he was "unsure" regarding the protocol of by-passing the need to swear the oath on purpose.
Mr Corbyn had been unaware of the tradition of kneeling and said shortly after his election that he would need to discuss with colleagues how to approach it.
The BBC reported Conservative MP Alan Duncan, who is also a Privy Counsellor, said Mr Corbyn “seemed to want to put politics above the Queen”.
