19th September 2022

The funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

So much has been said in the run-up to today that it feels hard to say anything meaningful, especially in this brief format. So perhaps it is best to focus on the heart of the matter: that for all the pomp and pageantry, today is primarily about a grieving family laying a much-loved mother, grandmother and great grandmother to rest. Let us pray especially for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, whose memories of their mother’s death and funeral twenty-five years ago must be painfully reactivated by the current ceremonies; for their children, trying to comprehend the loss of their beloved great granny, and for those who have the hard task of comforting them; and for our new King, already well past normal retirement age, yet having to shoulder fresh responsibilities and undertake a punishing schedule in the midst of his obvious grief. For all the media coverage that often makes our Royal Family seem more like stars of a bizarre reality show than human beings, loss and grief are great levellers.

As is death itself of course. And so today we pray for Elizabeth II, not just as our late monarch, but as our sister in Christ and his good and faithful servant. We trust that she now rests safely in the arms of the God she loved and to whom she always considered herself accountable; we thank God for her long life, her steadfast faith, and her devoted service; and we ask that she may rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.

Debbie Pinfold