DUKE’S ANGEL
Cairns mum looks on as daughter finds her voice to honour Prince
CAIRNS grandmother Janice Robinson got an enormous surprise during the televised funeral of Prince Philip – her daughter Miriam was among four choristers to perform in St George’s chapel.
St George’s Chapel has dozens of singers who regularly perform during services, but COVID restrictions meant it was scaled back to just four, who sang hymns and the national anthem.
Newcastle born, Ms Allan lives at Windsor Castle as she is married to Richard Bannan, another lay clerk of St George’s Chapel.
Mrs Robinson said she had no idea her daughter was performing because details were kept secret.
“I watched it a bit with the rest of my family and I thought ‘gee that sounds like Miriam’ and then I got closer and said ‘for goodness sake, it is Miriam’,” she said.
Mrs Robinson said that the performance was a deeply personal mission for her daughter.
“She said she was glad she was not in the eyeline of the Queen, bereft was how she described her, and she said if she had made eye contact she might have lost it,” Mrs Robinson said. “She loves Her Majesty and she knows her as a living, breathing, gorgeous woman who attends the chapel every Sunday.
“Miriam sang from her heart to sing his soul to heaven. She is Anglican and has been all her life – this was personal,” Mrs Robinson said.
“She was doing what she knew how to do best, for the soul being farewelled.”
The service for the late duke had just 30 guests, with the highest-ranking members of the royal family in attendance. Ms Allan has toured around the world performing in choirs and operas.