Many, if not most of you reading this letter will not, I’m sure, even have been born when the event we will all be celebrating this month took place. I wasn’t..........but only just wasn’t!

All of us though, whether we were alive at the time or yet to be born, have undoubtedly lived through one of the most momentous and significant periods in the life and history of the monarchy, and of this country and the Commonwealth. It was of course in a part of the then British Empire, Kenya in Africa, that Princess Elizabeth learnt of the death of her father King George VI, and began the first steps of what would turn into a very long journey indeed, and one which continues to this day and which we are celebrating on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee – when I hope there will be much bubbly, or should I say jubbly, served across the country and indeed the world! And we’ll no doubt be adding to the collection of beautiful Silver and Golden Jubilee kneelers in the Church!

As some of you know, I was born and brought up in Central Africa, in what was then still a part of the British Empire – the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland – and what is now the Republics of Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe (where I grew up). I was asked recently how I, and members of my family, had felt towards the Queen and the Royal Family during that period of time, when all sorts of political developments were taking place, not least, in our case, UDI in 1965!

With staunchly loyal and royalist Grandparents, who had emigrated to Central Africa with their daughter, my future mother, in 1947, there was never any question in our household and wider family of the deep respect and affection for Her Majesty we held, in spite of the political differences that did come between our countries for some time.

The history we have all shared, in one way or another since the Accession of Her Majesty to the throne in 1952, and her subsequent coronation, has I’m sure done much to reinforce and re-emphasize the incredibly important role occupied by Her Majesty the Queen – through all sorts of emergencies, crises, conflicts and wars and periods of great social, political, economic and societal change. Through them all the Queen has been, for all of us, a shining example and role model – none less so I’m sure we’d all agree – than during the last two years of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and for this, and for her continued place and role in our national and international life, we should and do rightly give thanks to God, who is her, and our, rock.

God save our gracious Queen,

Long live our noble Queen,

God save the Queen. Amen.

The Revd Alec Brown, June, 2022.

Vicar of Great Budworth and Priest-in-Charge of Antrobus.