Queen and Duke attend jubilee service

The Queen has marked her Golden Jubilee today with the first-ever ecumenical church service at St George's Chapel, Windsor, England…

The Queen has marked her Golden Jubilee today with the first-ever ecumenical church service at St George's Chapel, Windsor, England.

On the 49th anniversary of her Coronation, the Queen witnessed four church leaders sign an historic covenant to work towards furthering Christian unity.

Some 2,000 people turned out to see the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attend the Jubilee service at St George's, in the precincts of Windsor Castle.

At the invitation of the Queen, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey was joined by Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Free Churches Moderator the Rev Anthony Burnham and the Rev Esme Beswick of the Anglo-Caribbean Council of Churches, to take part in the service.

READ MORE

It could have been a sombre occasion for the Queen as she returned to the Chapel where earlier this year the body of her mother and ashes of her sister, Margaret, were laid to rest.

But she appeared up-beat and enjoying her Jubilee celebrations during the Bank Holiday weekend. In his sermon, Dean of Windsor the Rt Rev David Conner (correct) praised the Queen for her "continuing commitment, dedication, total loyalty and unstinting service to the church, the nation and the Commonwealth".

This had been given without condition and "at times the giving will have been most costly", said the Dean.

After the service the Queen and Duke went on a walk-about in the Castle grounds and chatted to the large crowd of well-wishers.

PA