G-G and PM to Attend The Queen’s Funeral

Governor General, His Excellency the Most. Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, and Prime Minster, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, will be attending the State Funeral for Her Majesty, The Queen, at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19.

Prime Minister Holness made the disclosure in a tribute to the late Monarch during Tuesday’s (September 13) sitting of the House of Representatives.

The Queen, Great Britain’s longest-reigning Monarch, demised peacefully at her home in Scotland on September 8 at age 96.

She ascended to the Throne in 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI, and was crowned on June 6, 1953.

Mr. Holness noted that The Queen’s long and transformational reign saw the world go through some seismic changes, including the evolution of the Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War era, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said The Queen was the most travelled of the British Monarchs, visiting over 100 countries on behalf of The Crown.

The Prime Minister noted that she was endeared the world over “not only for her support and patronage of countless charities and programmes, but also as a symbol of the dignity of the British Throne.”

“With quiet and confident strength, accompanied by a calm, warm and gracious demeanour, she captured the hearts of many, including the Jamaican populace, which affectionately remembers her various visits to our beloved island,” Mr. Holness added.

During her reign, The Queen made six visits to Jamaica, the first being in November 1953 as the newly appointed Head of State.

The Prime Minister said he was present as a newly elected Member of Parliament when Her Majesty addressed the joint sitting of the House and Senate, during her last visit in 2002.

“On that occasion, her address provided context for the relationship between Jamaica and the British Monarchy. But importantly, offered insights into the many challenges facing Jamaica reinforcing the value of democratic ideals and the rule of law,” he said.

Mr. Holness said The Queen will be long remembered for her dedication to the British Monarchy and unswerving commitment and service to the Commonwealth and all territories.

He noted that her death marks the end of an era for the people of the United Kingdom (UK) and a new beginning for the Jamaican State.

The Prime Minister pointed out that His Majesty, King Charles III, who has succeeded Her Majesty as the Constitutional Sovereign, “has long been a proponent for attention to climate change and an advocate for a green and sustainable economy, including through his business ventures undertaken by the Duchy of Cornwall.”

He noted that the King’s work in Jamaica, through the Rose Town Foundation, has been transformational.

For his part, Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, said The Queen enjoyed the admiration and love of many people around the world.

“Her tenure of the Office of Queen has been so long lived that it really has been an intergenerational experience, so that most of us in this room have never known any other person as being our Head of State here in Jamaica; and that continuity means that her demise just feels like the end of an era,” Mr. Golding said.

Other Members of Parliament giving tributes included Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange; Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte; and Leader of Opposition Business in the Lower House, Phillip Paulwell.