Invite ‘an honour and a privilege’
CHARITY chiefs have described the “honour” of being invited to the Queen’s funeral.
Representatives of charities for which the Queen was patron will join the royal family and world leaders at the service at Westminster Abbey today.
Fiona Gardner called it “deeply moving” to have been invited to represent the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association.
She told the PA news agency that the late monarch had a “common bond” with women who served in uniform.
The Queen joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945, becoming the first female member of the royal family to join the armed forces as a full-time active member. Ms Gardner, vice president of the association, said: “I think it’s going to be incredibly emotional, and extremely poignant. I have to say I’m incredibly honoured because I’m representing the members of the WRAC Association – which includes members of the ATS who, of course, served alongside her late majesty.
“There was such a strong connection between her majesty and former members of the ATS, around 230 of our members are former ATS, we’ve got ladies who served with anti-aircraft, we’ve got ladies who served at Bletchley.
“That connection has only got stronger over time because her majesty has been so kind to us as our patron.”
Meanwhile, Dr Jilly Tolfrey, chief executive of the Fire Fighters Charity, said that the Queen had a particular affinity with the charity after staying in London during the Blitz.
She told PA: “It is an honour and a privilege to attend the funeral, particularly as a representative of the Fire Fighters Charity and all our representatives.
“Her Majesty was our royal patron for 69 of her 70-year reign.
“The Fire Fighters charity grew out of the Blitz, providing service to widows and orphans of fire service personnel. Her Majesty remained in London with her parents and sister during this terrible time and she saw herself the impact on the fire service and the communities of which the firefighters were part.”
Dr Denise Chaffer, president of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said it was an “absolute honour to take part in such a key moment in history” and to represent the College at the Queen’s funeral. The Queen was patron of the RCN from 1953 until her death. “The nursing staff are proud that they are being represented at such an historic event,” Dr Chaffer said.