Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Day 2 – Service begins, ‘thanks and praise’ offered 

National anthem & Service of Thanksgiving ends

The service has ended and members of the royal family begin to leave down the procession walk out of the Cathedral.

Today’s thanksgiving service includes a new anthem that sets to music words from the third chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

The attendees sung the national anthem at the end of the service.

New anthem

Today’s thanksgiving service includes a new anthem that sets to music words from the third chapter of the Book of Proverbs.

By Wisdom, the piece composed by Judith Weir, master of the Queen’s music, was specially created to mark her the Platinum Jubilee.

This is its first-ever performance.

Horseracing metaphors

The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell’s sermon drew heavily on horse racing metaphors – something sure to please the Queen.

Addressing the Queen at home watching the service on television, he said he didn’t have any tips for Saturday’s derby.

But he commended her for “staying the course” and said that the “race of life” was more like the longer distance of the Aintree course, rather than the sprint of the Epsom Derby.

The Queen has often spoken of the importance of her religious faith.

The archbishop praised commended her for a “staunch constancy and a steadfast consistency, a faithfulness to God, an obedience to a vocation”. – (BBC)

Boris Johnson reading

The PM was met with loud boos and cheers as he arrived at the Cathedral. Inside he read from the New Testament – Philippians 4. 4-9.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Boris Johnson reads from the New Testament 

Canon Dr Paula Gooder has given an Old Testament reading and the choir then performed the second hymn.

Boris Johnson is now giving a reading from the New Testament.

Dr Ison has led the congregation in a prayer and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry are now playing as those gathered sing the first hymn.

The main procession inside the Cathedral has just finished, with Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge having walked up the aisle accompanied by the Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal.

Dr David Ison, the Dean of St Paul’s is now giving what’s called “The Bidding”.

He says:

We come together in this Cathedral Church today to offer to God our thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty The Queen and especially for her seventy years of faithful and dedicated service.

As we gather from communities across her realm and the Commonwealth of Nations, we rejoice in the diverse and varied lives of all those whom she serves, and in the beauty and abundance of the world in which we live.”