Her Majesty The Queen will join parishioners for two church services as she tours Wales to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee this week.
The visit will begin on Thursday at Llandaff Cathedral when The Queen will join 600 people for a national service of thanksgiving for her 60-year reign. Then on Friday Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a service at Christ Church, Ebbw Vale.
The service at Llandaff Cathedral will be led by the Dean, John Lewis, while the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, will give the address. Also taking part will be First Minister Carwyn Jones, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Professor Delme Bowen and representatives from the different faith communities in Wales.
Music will be provided by the Cathedral Choir, conducted by organist and master of choristers Richard Moorhouse, and a brass quartet from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Bells will ring out before and after the service from the Cathedral’s Guild of Ringers. The service will last for 45 minutes.
It will be The Queen’s fourth visit to the Cathedral. Her first was in 1960 to a service to mark the Cathedral’s restoration following a bomb raid during World War Two. Her Majesty also visited in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee and in 1999 for a service to mark the opening of the National Assembly for Wales.
The Dean said, “I am delighted to be welcoming The Queen and Prince Philip back to Llandaff Cathedral for this national Service of Thanksgiving to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I am sure that it will be a wonderful occasion, not only for us all at Llandaff Cathedral, but also for all the people of Wales.”
On Friday the Royal Standard flag will fly at Christ Church, Ebbw Vale, as The Queen pays her first ever visit to the town. Her Majesty will join about 350 people in the church for a service led by the Rector of Ebbw Vale, Geoff Waggett, who will also give a short address. The service will be broadcast live to another 150 guests in two marquees set up in the church grounds and to the crowds on the streets outside.
Music will be provided by the Greater Gwent youth string ensemble and children from Willowtown and Briery Hill Primary Schools, as well as the church’s worship band. Also attending the 30-minute service will be civic leaders from all the Gwent local authorities.
After the service, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will meet parishioners and community representatives in the marquees. They will include one parishioner who has attended Christ Church since she was christened there – more than 101 years ago. Maud Baskerville will be presented to Her Majesty by the Rector who christened her great-great grandson at the church earlier this year.
The Rector said, “The Queen is an incredible woman of faith and we are thrilled to welcome here to Christ Church. It’s something you never expect to happen and when it does it gives the whole community tremendous encouragement. Her visit is a Gwent-wide event but it’s something really special for Ebbw Vale and a real honour for us.”
