The Rectory February 2012

Dear Friends

In the vestry at All Saints there are several antique altar copies of the Book of Common Prayer at least one of which dates back to the reign of King George III. Its content differs little from that of others published before or since. This was fixed by statute when the Book was revised and reissued in 1662 following the Restoration of the Monarchy and the Church of England. The two institutions are closely bound and the only variance in official editions of the Prayer Book relates to events in the lives of monarchs and the sometimes troubled history of crown, church and state. That the modern book is slightly thinner than its Georgian counterpart is due not only to differences in the grade of paper, but to the exclusion from the Victorian era onwards of services relating to two such events. The liturgies commemorating the martyrdom of King Charles I and the deliverance of the nation from Gunpowder, Treason and Plot were omitted, I suspect, for political reasons. That Charles I was a martyr was never universally accepted. A cause dear to the hearts of High Churchmen, supporters of the Stuart monarchy and their Jacobite successors, it was an embarrassment to the Hanoverian dynasty and out of tune with the reforming instincts of the time. Whilst the commemoration of Gunpowder, Treason and Plot remained in accord with such instincts, it too was problematic. 1829 had been the year of Roman Catholic Emancipation and this and subsequent reforms aimed at widening and inclusifying British identity were not well served by dwelling on the divisions of the past.

Other than the Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea the only remaining state service is the Forms of Prayer for the Anniversary of the Day of Accession of the Reigning Sovereign, otherwise known as The Accession Service. It is now seldom used except in the chapels royal and in some cathedrals but this year, the date, and perhaps the service itself is likely to attract renewed interest. The 6th February 2012 is the 60th anniversary of the Accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. As a constitutional monarch who reigns but never rules it is hard to compare her achievement with that of illustrious forebears such as Edward III (1327-77), and Elizabeth I (1558-1603). However, it is undoubtedly true that our Queen has been more consistent and dutiful in the fulfilment of her role than her great great Grandmother Victoria in whose reign (1837-1901) constitutional monarchy took shape. Long periods of withdrawal from public life and a barely concealed dislike of state occasions marred her reign. Her own Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897 were captured on film and there is something incongruous about the manner of her arrival at St. Pauls Cathedral. Accompanied by the splendidly uniformed guards of the Household Cavalry she alights from the state landau wearing a widow's black dress and bonnet, looking, as one 20th C commentator suggested, like a little old lady out to collect her pension. By then it didn't matter. The great legacy of her favourite prime minister, Disraeli, in refashioning the Queen as Empress of India, meant that she had become the totem of British pride and self-confidence.

Elizabeth II is the first monarch since Victoria not to have borne that imperial title. Her reign has seen the decline of Britain as a world power and as we celebrate her 60 years on the throne the very notion of Great Britain itself is under threat. By its very nature the monarchy is a conservative institution and in the best traditions of conservatism it has shown a remarkable ability to adapt. This was most apparent in 1917 when the Queen's grandfather George V (r.1910-36) ditched the dynastic name Saxe Coburg Gotha in favour of Windsor. It continued through the Abdication Crisis, the Second World War and the last six decades in which the Queen's response to crises both national and dynastic, has been calm, dignified and reflective. There has been no great rush to appease the media in its various demands, or to court public popularity, yet looking back we can see a pattern of continuity serviced by evolution and change. In an age not inclined to perseverance and in which so many people reinvent themselves every few years this is a remarkable achievement. It is made possible not only by her deep understanding of the institution of monarchy but by the belief that her duty and purpose is God-given and sustained by the grace of God. Whatever our station in life, we can all benefit greatly from her example. Long may she reign.

 Grace and Peace to you

 Charles Booth

Photo courtesy Ash Mills Photography