Prince and Princess of Wales visit St Davids Cathedral
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited St Davids Cathedral today to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death.
They took part in a short service, An Act of Reflection on Accession Day, before laying flowers before an official portrait of the Late Queen.
The Dean of St Davids, Dr Rowland Jones, welcomed the Royal couple and guided them from the Great West Door of the Cathedral, through the nave to the Quire.
In the Quire, the Prince and Princess stopped to see the Sovereign’s Stall, unique in a British Cathedral. Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch to have sat in the Sovereign’s Stall, having done so on each of her four visits to St Davids.
Leading the service, Dean Sarah said it was “particularly poignant” to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales on Accession Day, the first anniversary of the death of the Queen.
She said, “Today countless numbers will be remembering her, with both sadness and with great affection; giving thanks again for her long life of dedicated service – as we do here.
“In reflecting on her faithfulness, we reflect also on that greater faithfulness of God to his people: the promise, of which the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the ultimate witness and guarantee, of God's loving desire to work for good, for us and in us and through us; to help us do and be our best, whoever we may be, if we will only let him, trusting ourselves into his hands.
“Pilgrims past and present have sought God's help, as they have come here seeking answers to questions, solutions to problems, healing, or just yearning for refreshment and renewal. Our prayer is that all who come, for whatever reason, may be profoundly touched by being in this place, and find God's answers for their prayers.
“Today, as we reflect, may each of us know God's comfort in our sorrows, his strength for life’s challenges, and his promise of faithful companionship with us, as we travel onwards with him, wherever our pilgrim journey leads.”
The Sub-Dean, Canon Leigh Richardson, read the lessons and the Canon Pastor, Sheridan Angharad James led the prayers. The Cathedral choir sang two anthems: ‘Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts’ with music by Henry Purcell, sung at Her Late Majesty's funeral; and ‘Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High’, words taken from Psalm 91:1-2, set to music by the contemporary Welsh composer Meirion Wynn Jones.
After the service, Their Royal Highnesses laid flowers at the official portrait of the late Queen and viewed the restored Shrine of St David and the tomb of Edmund Tudor, father of Henry VII, and direct, Welsh, antecedent of the Royal family.
They then signed the visitors’ book and saw the Cathedral’s Book of Condolence, in which thousands of people wrote tributes to the Queen following her death. Moving to the cloisters, the Prince and Princess met members of the community with links to Her Late Majesty, and others involved in areas in which the Prince and Princess have a particular interest, including mental health, the environment, early years education and sport.
As they left the Cathedral, the Prince and Princess received posies from children from Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, the local 3-16yrs Church in Wales. As the Cathedral bells rang out and the sun shone, the couple greeted the crowd waiting outside and chatted before heading off.
With thanks to Philip Clarke for the photos
Guests who met the Royal couple
- Jasmine Joyce – GB and Wales rugby player from St Davids
- Morgan Davies – currently plays rugby for St Davids, previously a junior player, including for Pembrokeshire (also, Canons’ Verger at the cathedral)
- Christopher Taylor – present for all four visits of Queen; led bid to regain city status, former mayor, also key in rugby links with Lesotho at school level, supported by Prince Seeiso
- Jeremy Wadia – Erw Dewi/Dewi’s Acre, Cathedral community garden / EcoDewi – environment
- Dr Sarah Beynon (The Bug Farm) https://www.thebugfarm.co.uk/
- Archdeacon Eileen Davies – founder of Tir Dewi https://tirdewi.wales
- Gareth Davies – CEO of Tir Dewi
- Emma O’Sullivan BEM – founder, DPJ foundation www.thedpjfoundation.co.uk
- Revd Tom Evans - Maundy money recipient, set up police chaplaincy;
- Captain Ben Martin, 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare), Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy
Guests who met the Princess of Wales
- Rachel Thomas – Head Teacher, Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, (VA 3-16 Church in Wales)
- Sarah Williams – early years specialist, Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi
- Samantha Wilson-Croft – Business Manager, Shalom House hospice – in St Davids;
- Glenys James BEM – for extensive voluntary service in and around St Davids, former mayor
- Patricia Mawuli Porter Hon OBE – first Ghanaian woman pilot, co-owner of Metal Seagulls
- Paul Evans – Maundy money recipient, former church warden, city treasurer, key member of team arranging Her Late Majesty's visit to grant City status
- Arwel Davies - longtime Cathedral Chapter Clerk, significant contributor to local community
- Bethan Thomas Price – County Councillor for St Davids, longtime city councillor, former mayor.
