Honoured MBE for clergyman at palace ceremony
ATOP clergyman from Bristol joined nurses and other local heroes to receive honours yesterday from the Prince of Wales who, according to one recipient, was “very insightful” about the challenges faced by many during the coronavirus pandemic.
Charles made recipients feel “extremely relaxed” as he handed out awards at St James’s Palace.
The scaled-down ceremony was the second royal investiture since the first national lockdown and was also the second to be held at the palace, situated off the Mall in central London, in recent times.
The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle is the 39th Dean of Westminster, overseeing Westminster Abbey.
He received an MBE for services to faith and vulnerable communities in Bristol and said Charles was also deeply interested in faith and how it had been affected by the pandemic.
“Faith has been really important for people and a lot of people have turned to us... so in one sense we are equipped for this,” he said.
“The things that sustain us, being able to celebrate together, to sing
The things that sustain us, being able to celebrate together, to sing hymns and to gather, that’s actually been really difficult for us Reverend Dr David Hoyle, MBE
hymns and to gather, that’s actually been really difficult for us.
“Charles thinks about them really deeply... and is really interested in questions of faith.”
Asked how his family had reacted to his honour, Dr Hoyle replied: “My wife is very proud and has been thrilled but on Father’s Day that was addressed to ‘David Hoyle, MBE, PPE, LOL, so I suppose that’s what they think.”
Other recipients included Felicia Kwaku, associate director of nursing at Kings College NHS Foundation Trust, EastEnders actor Rudolph Walker and a 96-year-old Holocaust educator.
Ms Kwaku, 53, who was made an OBE for services to nursing, said the award was an “incredible privilege” and praised Charles’ awareness of challenges faced in the profession.
“He’s very insightful and was talking to me about nursing and we discussed the impact of Covid,” she said.
Long-time EastEnders actor Walker, who received a CBE for services to drama and charity, said he had discussed the soap opera with the prince, who had been “very relaxing”.
Maria Green, 96, who received an MBE for services to Holocaust Education, said that she had “loved the occasion” and that Charles had a “good touch of humanity”.