Queen 'not consulted' on oath plan

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Coming-of-age ceremonies were among ideas suggested by former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith in a review of citizenship commissioned by Gordon Brown.

They would be based on similar events for foreign nationals adopting British nationality which require a public declaration of allegiance to the monarch and a pledge of commitment to the UK.

In an unusual intervention, a royal spokesman told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "What we would like to say is that Buckingham Palace was not consulted with regard to the Goldsmith review."

Lord Janvrin, the Queen's former private secretary and now a Permanent Lord-in-Waiting in the Royal Household, was listed by Lord Goldsmith as a contributor to his report.

However, his involvement did not extend beyond a general conversation about the Royal Family and was not made as an official representation, a Palace source told the newspaper.

A spokesman for the review insisted no decision would be taken on going ahead with the plan without the Palace being consulted.

Immigrants taking part in citizenship ceremonies swear an oath of allegiance, or make a non-religious affirmation. They also make a separate pledge of commitment to the UK.

The idea of extending it to children was ridiculed by some teachers' leaders, ethnic minority groups and by devolved areas of the UK.

Other proposals for creating a "sense of shared belonging" in Britain included: a new British national day; rewarding community work with a council tax or university fees discount or "points" towards gaining citizenship; compulsory citizenship lessons at primary school; and loans to help pay for English lessons.