Queen Elizabeth was joined by British prime minister Tony Blair and former U.S. president George H Bush at a memorial service for British victims of the September 11 atrocities yesterday in Westminster Abbey. The tribute, which was also attended by Prince Philip and Prince Charles as well as the families of the dead, was presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey.
But this was no state occasion, belonging instead to the loved ones of the 78 Britons killed when two aeroplanes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Over 800 people came to mourn, among them members of the New York emergency services, whose heroism was described by the Archbishop as not “simply doing a job.”
As a November drizzle fell in Westminster, the Queen, carrying a posy of roses and lily of the valley, myrtle, lavender, rosemary and ivy. arrived in the abbey by the Great West Door, accompanied by her husband and eldest son. After the voices of the congregation swelled lustily for the National Anthem and its US counterpart, the British Prime Minister read the first lesson, Romans VIII, 35-39.
Dame Judi Dench read two poems of remembrance, one by Christina Rossetti, the other by American author Henry Van Dyke, before Dr Carey stepped up to the pulpit to preach a message of hope. “We must find a better way, a better future for our wonderful but broken world,” he said. “We must hope to transform the fear, hatred and depair which offer such fertile breeding ground for terrorism. Let us seek this not only for those who will come after us, but also for those who have gone before – among them, those we mourn today.”
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
