HER Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 years old on September 8, 2022. The royal family confirmed the sad news in a statement which read: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Crowned The Queen of England in 1953, the monarch reigned for 70 years and shared four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April of 2021 at the age of 99.
She was known for her sense of humour and wittiness and her love for equestrian sports and horse riding. She was beloved by many the world over, and many churches worldwide will be hosting tribute services in her honour.
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There are various events and symbolic gestures in and around Durban over the next few days to honour the passing of Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, ahead of her funeral on Monday.
St John memory table
St John, Durban, has created a memory table in the foyer of their building in the Central Business District (CBD) to honour the Queen who was the Sovereign Head of the Most Venerable Order of St John for more than 70 years. Her guidance and support shaped St John into a modern global healthcare organisation, which is deeply rooted in its history as an order of the Crown.
The Order of St John is one of the oldest non-profit organisations in the world. St John promotes physical, mental and spiritual health in more than 40 countries, and has been active in South Africa for the past 130 years. St John South Africa offers first aid skills training, eye care, ambulance services and medical supplies and facilitates community initiatives. They have a training centre and eye-care clinic in central Durban, and an eye-care clinic in Pietermaritzburg.
For more info: 031 305 6588
Prayer service
This Sunday, September 18, there will be a 09:00 service that will be in honour of Her Majesty at St Cyprian’s Anglican Church, 603 Umbilo Road. There will be a guest trumpet player and piper performing musical tributes as part of the service, and the homily will be given by Chair of the British Culture and Heritage Association Dr Graeme Fuller.
For more info: 031 205 3710
Musical tribute
Pianist Christopher Duigan is presenting a solo concert in St Agnes Church in Kloof on Sunday afternoon, September 18 at 15:00. He will be playing Elgar’s Nimrod from Enigma Variations as a gesture of respect to the passing of the Queen in Sunday’s concert.
Bookings at www.musicrevival.co.za
Watch the funeral on the big screen
The entire funeral will be screened on the big screen at Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo on Monday, 19 September from 09:00. Venue opens at 08:30. Food and coffee will be on sale, with bacon-and-egg rolls for breakfast, and the bar will be open. The Rhumbelow is at 42 Cunningham Road in Umbilo.
For more info, visit the Rhumbelow Facebook page or call 082 499 8636.
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