Royal Links with the King's School

As we prepare to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, our school historian, David Evans, has taken the opportunity to look back at King's links to the Royal family, during the 70 years of her reign.

1952

The death of King George VI was announced on 6th February 1952. The School Magazine of that year contained a tribute to the King, acknowledging his leadership during the Second World War and the interest he showed in the development of young people.

1953

The coronation of the young Queen, Elizabeth II, took place on 2nd June 1953. One of those watching the coronation procession in London was the King’s School’s Headmaster, Tom Brown. Describing the Queen as ‘youthful and radiant’, he wrote an account of that day in the School Magazine.

1955

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh spent the afternoon of 3rd May 1955 visiting Gloucester Cathedral, where they attended a service of thanksgiving which marked the 800th anniversary of Gloucester receiving its city charter from King Henry II.

Several members of the school were included among the dignitaries introduced to the royal couple after the service. 

The choristers had an important role in the service. Both the Headmaster, Tom Brown, and the Master of the Choristers, Herbert Sumsion, were presented to the Queen. The Head of School, David Leach, presented the Queen with a bouquet and recited several Latin verses specially written for the occasion.

The boys of the King’s School had a good view of the royal party, either from the Cloisters or inside the Chapter House. A large model enabled the Queen to be shown the many improvements made in recent years to the fabric of the Cathedral. The report in the School Magazine rather touchingly reads: ‘It seems certain that the Queen was interested in the small boys, perhaps more than in the complicated mechanism to which her attention was directed’. 

1977

1977 was the year of the Queen’s first jubilee.  Known as the Silver Jubilee, it commemorated the first 25 years of her reign. Our Headmaster, Pat David, organised a congratulatory telegram to be sent to the Queen to mark the occasion. A few days later the school received a reply, thanking pupils and staff for their ‘kind and loyal message’.

1979

Princess Anne visited Gloucester in 1979 and spoke to Junior School children at the west end of the Cathedral.  The princess made a big impression as she was wearing an orange coat and hat and held a white posy.  She asked the pupils what the beginning of their term had been like and then attended Evensong in the Quire, where she heard the choristers sing and was presented to the Headmaster.

1981

The Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, came to Sunday Morning Service in the Cathedral on a snowy day in December 1981.  Junior School had again been granted permission to form a guard of honour, this time in the Cloisters.  When the newly married couple emerged from coffee in the Chapter House, they received a card drawn by Junior School pupil Andrew Wooldridge and written inside by Marcus Smith. Jessica Chamberlayne, who was the first girl to attend King’s right the way through from Junior School to the Sixth Form, had the honour of presenting a hanging posy of dried flowers to Princess Diana.

1986

The Queen herself paid another visit to the Cathedral on 14th April 1986, the occasion being her 60th birthday. 

Although this visit coincided with the school’s Easter holidays, many members of Junior School, led by the Senior Mistress, Mary Chisholm, had a grandstand view of the Queen’s arrival in College Green.  They had prepared for the meeting well by compiling a large Birthday Book, which was presented to Her Majesty outside the Cathedral.  Every child in Junior School had made a contribution to wish the Queen a happy birthday.  She took the time to speak to many of the assembled children and expressed her delight with the book.  Christopher Trafford, then aged eight, had his account of the Queen’s visit published.  He referred to it as ‘one of the most exciting days of my life’.

Excitement was maintained in the weeks that followed when a letter of thanks arrived from Windsor Castle and then another from Buckingham Palace.  The latter, from a Lady-in-Waiting, read: “I am commanded by The Queen to write and thank you all for the splendid birthday greetings which you have sent to Her Majesty”.

1991

1991 brought a unique event, the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the foundation of our school by King Henry VIII in 1541.  The centre piece of this was a prestigious musical celebration in the Albert Hall when our choir and orchestra combined with those of six other King’s Schools also celebrating the same anniversary.  700 singers and 120 instrumentalists were conducted by the world renowned Sir David Willcocks.  Most impressive of all was that Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were in attendance.

1998

Prince Charles landed by helicopter on the Paddock in 1998. There to greet him was a windswept and bedraggled collection of Middle School pupils and parents led by Remove teacher Gina Rawlinson and watched over by Headmaster Peter Lacey.  The prince’s visit was to mark his work as patron of the Cathedral’s ‘900 Year Fund’, which had raised about £3 million for conservation work.

By the time Prince Charles reached the main entrance to the Cathedral, the rain had subsided and he was given a warm welcome by the staff and young children of Wardle House who had made special red, white and blue paper shakers for the occasion. 

2003

The Queen paid another visit to Gloucester Cathedral, the third visit of her reign, on Maundy Thursday in 2003.  This was for the special service held on that day, at which the monarch traditionally distributes purses of silver coins, known as ‘Maundy Money’, to deserving members of local communities.  A small number of representatives from the school were present and, of course, our choristers had a prominent role to play with the music.

2019

In 2019, when the school celebrated the 50th anniversary of being a co-educational establishment, a special visit was received from the Duke of Gloucester, who is one of the Queen’s cousins.  He was welcomed by Junior School children on the Paddock and at an assembly in the Chapter House and he then joined Senior School for a service in the Cathedral Nave.