IT WAS a right Royal celebration in the Faithful City today (Thursday) as Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited Worcester for the annual Maundy Thursday service.
The Queen visited Worcester Cathedral to present Maundy Money to 150 people from across the country- 75 men and women – including 40 from the Diocese of Worcester.
The gift was recognition of their exemplary Christian service to church and community over many years.
Among those to be honoured was Peter Seward, who after retiring volunteered in the Diocese and the Cathedral.
He was Vice Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance for many years, served two terms on the Cathedral Council and was a Director of Cathedral Enterprises.
Modest Peter said he was thrilled and slightly baffled to be a Maundy Money recipient.
John Dentith, who has served at St Barnabas with Christ Church, Worcester, in a range of roles, also received Maundy Money from Her Majesty.
He said: “I couldn’t believe it when I received the letter- it is such an honour and I was very touched.”
Peter Davies, who served as a Licensed Lay Minister from 2000 and was ordained in 2013, said he would treasure the Maundy Money, which he was ‘blown away’ to receive.
Peter has been part of All Saints Church as well as St George’s and Claines in Worcester and before ordination was a Lay Canon on the Cathedral Chapter.
Crowds began gathering as early as 8am to get a prime spot to catch a glimpse of The Queen.
Among them is avid Worcester Royalist Pam Key, whose commitment to seeing Royal events resulted in her gaining a new friend.
She travelled to London to see the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 but was told she would have to sleep overnight to see the Monarch.
In a stroke of luck, a woman she spoke to in the queue offered for Pam to stay at her home all night – and she offered again when she returned to London for the King’s coronation eight months later.
She told the Observer she was thrilled to be able to add another chapter to her relationship with the Royal family in her home city.
Former NHS worker Jo Cronin had been struggling with her back since the start of the Covid pandemic, after which she retired, which prevented her from walking more than 30ft.
However, the proud Royalist worked her way back to fitness and walked 4km to be in the crowd on yesterday.
Those who braved a mid-morning storm were treated to a street appearance by The Queen as she left the Cathedral.
The service visits a different Cathedral each year and it was last held in Worcester in 1980.
- TOMORROW on Good Friday, Worcester’s Passion Play returns to Cathedral Square.
