The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has bowed to the inevitable after finally taking part in the official ceremony to become a Privy Counsellor.

After weeks of distracting speculation, Mr Corbyn was sworn in to the 700-year-old institution at a private ceremony in Buckingham Palace this afternoon.

New members are traditionally required to kneel in front of the Queen and kiss her hand as part of the swearing-in ceremony.

There had been speculation that the avowed republican was objecting to taking part in the symbolic act of fealty after he failed to attend the first Privy Council meeting since he was elected leader, citing “other commitments”. It later emerged he was on a walking holiday in Scotland.

But Labour confirmed that Mr Corbyn had now been sworn in and said that he had “complied with the normal processes”.

It is understood that the ceremony took place before the general meeting of the Council and was not done in the presence of the Conservative Leader of the Commons, Chris Grayling, who is president of the Council. Buckingham Palace and the Cabinet Office both refused to confirm details of the ceremony.

Joining the Privy Council will mean that Mr Corbyn is allowed to style himself “right honourable” in the House of Commons, and be given briefings on areas of national security. All opposition leaders are traditionally made Privy Counsellors. But the furore over Mr Corbyn’s membership has increased scrutiny of the largely symbolic role of the Privy Council and whether it has a place in a modern democracy. The campaign group Republic called for the body to be abolished, describing it as a “very important yet undemocratic part of the constitution”.

Graham Smith, the head of the campaign, had previously called on Mr Corbyn to use the opportunity of his appointment to press the case for abolition. “Ministers can make laws and decisions through the Privy Council that lack any proper parliamentary scrutiny. It is a body that has no place in a democratic system,” he said.