Elizabeth II's First public Engagement Her Majesty The Queen Performed the first public Engagement of Her Reign when She Distributed the Royal Maundy In west-Minister Abbey this Morning. Every Maundy Thursday a number of men and women receive the Maundy Pence which are specially minted for the occasion. The number of Pence each receives and the Numbers of receipients are both by tradition Equal to the number of years the Monarch has Attained. To-Day The number was 26, the smallest since the early years of queen Victoria's Reign. The Maundy Ceremony is of Great Antiquity and is known to have been Performed Regularly in thes country since at least the *****. In medical times the ***** by The King washing the *****. April 17, 1952.