Service honours Queen’s 60 years

The Royal Family joined Britain’s leaders and members of the public to honour her yesterday at Westminster Abbey, where she was crowned on June 2, 1953.

Reminding the congregation how the Queen had knelt at the altar in silent prayer, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “We do not know what was prayed.

“Her Majesty knelt at the beginning of a path of demanding devotion and utter self-sacrifice, a path she did not choose, yet to which she was called by God.

“Today we celebrate 60 years since that moment, 60 years of commitment.”

The Most Rev Justin Welby also made reference to the death of Drummer Lee Rigby at the service, praising the efforts of those who went to the aid of the fatally-wounded soldier, whose wife is from Halifax.

“When we obey God’s call, whoever we are, leading government or quietly serving our local community, we establish a country that is open-handed and open-hearted, serving others with joy,” he said.

“In such service we become Britain at its best. We know how to celebrate – as again last year in the Olympics.

“We know how to comfort and grieve – as on the streets of Woolwich, in the courage of passers-by and police.”

The Queen was joined at the service by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge and his heavily pregnant wife Kate, and Prince Harry.

Prime Minister David Cameron took part in the service by giving one of two Bible readings. The other was delivered by Kamalesh Sharma, secretary general of the Commonwealth.

The service was divided into the Recognition, Anointing, Homage and Thanksgiving, reflecting parts of the original ceremony. Artefacts associated with the ceremony including the St Edward’s Crown, used to crown new monarchs, also played an important part.

The jewelled crown was placed on the high altar, close to the Queen’s seat – the first time it had left the Tower of London since the 1953 coronation.

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy wrote a poem for the service that focused on the burden and gift that the crown represents for the Queen – “one head alone can know its weight”.

Among the 2,000 guests in attendance was York schoolgirl Bailey Smith, the granddaughter of York chorister Bev Jones, who sang at the Coronation in 1953 aged 13, when he was head chorister at York Minster.

Six-year-old Bailey, a pupil at the Minster School and an aspiring chorister, was the only child to be invited, in place of her grandfather, who was too ill to attend following a stroke.

Her grandmother Lesley Jones, who accompanied her, said they had enjoyed a memorable day.

“It was tinged with a bit of sadness because Bev should have been there and he would have loved it, but it wasn’t to be. He would have been so proud to attend,” she said.

“It’s a one-off. None of us are going to see a service like that again. It was truly memorable.”

York flower arranger Tony Cleaver was one of seven National Association of Flower Arranging Societies members chosen to create the floral displays for the service.

The 71-year-old, who arranged displays in the abbey for last year’s Remembrance Sunday service and Pope Benedict’s visit in 2010, said it was the most important job he had done yet.

“It was a huge honour,”said Mr Cleaver, who put together his arrangement of white and yellow delphiniums, roses and lilies, in the Abbey on Sunday and said he was looking forward to watching TV footage of the service. “I did catch a glimpse on the news and it was very exciting,” he said.