The Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Accession of His Majesty King Charles III
In the few short hours following the lunchtime statement from Buckingham Palace expressing concern about the Queen’s health, we all waited and watched. When the announcement came at 6.30pm, it was one of those moments when time and the world stood still. As if the ground had shifted beneath our feet.
Only a few weeks ago, we celebrated the life and reign of this most wonderful of women at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. On the 8th September 2022 we mourned her death with heartfelt sadness, love and gratitude.
The quiet dignity of her passing and the nation’s sympathy for her grieving family. The duties and responsibilities passing so formally and seamlessly to King Charles and Camilla, his Queen Consort and to William now Prince of Wales and his wife Catherine. The dignity of Princess Anne, The Princess Royal as she accompanied her mother’s coffin from Balmoral to London. The continuity and the humanity of the Monarchy.
In Hickling:
The Bells of St. Luke’s:
Noel Woodward rang the sanctum bell for 5 minutes on Thursday 8th September then David Bloor took over and chimed the tenor bell for a further 15 minutes.
According to protocol and at the request of the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Cllr Tina Combellack; at 12 noon on Friday 9th September, David Bloor rang the tenor bell 96 times, one for each year of the Queen’s life with Seona Baillie counting.
Stories from the Community in Hickling:
Please get in touch with us if you have stories or thoughts that you would like to share with us about Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III.
HICKLING WI 15th September 2022 meeting
This meeting was held during the mourning period for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A quiz was held to see how much everyone knew about the Queen and it was not a surprise to find out the members knew so much, from where she was born to the many events in her life. However, no one knew that her last State Visit with Prince Philip was to Germany.
Member, Christine Ellis had just returned from London after going down to see the Queen’s coffin and all the flowers outside Buckingham Palace. She related to the WI her feelings and experiences in doing this – everyone was very moved to hear about this pilgrimage.
Most of the members remembered The Queen’s Coronation and talked about their memories of this day in 1953 when most thought it had snowed – but this was in fact due to the poor TV reception which gave a blurred snowing appearance on the screen.
King Charles III was going to Wales on 16th September and member Liz Vear was delighted to hear he was going into the Cathedral where she had been married.
The evening ended with a 2 minute silence and the singing of the National Anthem ‘God Save the King’
Carol Beadle (Hickling Pastures)
The Quorn:
I remember being out with the Quorn when I was about 14 on my pony and I was riding by the side of Prince Charles trotting into Hickling and I thought I was the bee’s knees until I saw that the chap on the other side of him (bodyguard) had a gun under his hunt coat – I soon dropped back as it scared me.
Nicki Grayson (Hickling)
Charlie, behave!
I remember riding with the Quorn when I was a teenager in the 80s, and the meet was on Bridegate Lane. Nothing happened for quite some time, and my horse who was called Charlie was getting impatient and jigging about, and I remember saying quite loudly “for God’s sake Charlie, will you behave”… to which my friends looked very embarrassed, and I then realised Prince Charles was right next to me, thankfully looking amused!
Sue Ormonde (Auckland, New Zealand)
A glass of port:
King Charles III, formerly The Prince of Wales, at Waterlane Farm in 1986, he enjoyed a glass of port in the house prior to hunting.
(Richard Collishaw, Waterlane Farm, Hickling)
In our kitchen:
I was at Bridge View House when Prince Charles, as he was then, visited in December 1988. I have memories of chatting to him in the kitchen and of him talking to my Mum and Dad as he left the house to mount his horse on the driveway. He was very friendly and down to earth.
Not many people have chatted to the King of England in their own kitchen! I have a small set of informal photos somewhere, but nothing like you would have expected for this event, it was all very low key.
I also have memories of the excitement when Mum left to visit Buckingham Palace for a garden party with the Queen in 1965. I have a copy of the newspaper cutting on this event.
These 2 royal events were considerable highlights in my parents’ lives.
Shirley Stephenson (Bridge View House, Hickling)
19/12/1988. Prince Charles leaving the home of Peggy (nee Walker) and Tom Herrick, Bridge View House. The Meet was at The Manor. Peggy with grandchildren; Will Walker (in the fawn jacket) with his wife, Anne; Beryl Walker and her husband, Ron leaning on the car. (Wadkin Archive description)
Splat in the mud …
Firmly in my late 50s, the Queen and the Prince of Wales (as he was) have just always been there. The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 was celebrated on my birthday which felt pretty special and, in later years, working at the Medical School at the QMC routines were turned upside down when Prince Charles was admitted for surgery (following a riding accident) and Princess Diana had to be snuck in through the back doors to avoid the ever-present photographers.
The best memory, though, is when my mother ‘met’ the Queen at Chatsworth Horse Trials. It was a particularly muddy year and Mum was carrying my young brother on her shoulders whilst shepherding me and my sister along, too. All of a sudden, there was the beep of a car horn behind us – Mum spun round to catch a glimpse of The Queen at the wheel of a Land Rover, she was so shocked that she fell splat into the mud. To her lasting consternation, her second horrified glimpse was of the Queen laughing uncontrollably. A little later, we were stopped by a lovely gentleman who had been sent by The Queen to check that Mum was alright and to apologise for the laughter. Suffice to say, it must have been very funny …
Jane Fraser (Hickling)
Paddington, Hickling and The Queen:
Paddington Bear first appeared in Hickling in 2019 when he was spotted cleaning windows over the Scarecrow weekend and he reappeared in 2021 – this time making marmalade. Serendipitously, he also entered into the village Platinum Jubilee celebrations with gusto – bunting and flag waving; it was only at the end of the celebrations that we all watched him having tea with The Queen at Buckingham Palace and realised what a particularly Royal Bear he really was.
And so it was only fitting that he should form the centrepiece of village commemorations following the death of the Queen on the 8th September 2022.
When the sad news of the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday evening, Hickling was busy in the midst of last minute preparations for the 2022 Scarecrow Festival – due to be held on the 10th & 11th of September. As the nation entered a period of mourning, advice and opinions were sought and the decision made to continue – “Hickling Scarecrow Festival will still be going ahead in recognition of the Queen’s support for local communities and charities. We will be celebrating Her Majesty’s life and her 70 years of loving and dedicated service to us.”
It was a different weekend to that planned but it proved to have been an excellent decision to go ahead; an opportunity for everyone to get together, to share news and memories and to commemorate together – emotional at times but lots of smiles and laughter, too.
Paddington was made by Barbara McEwen.
The Mayor of Rushcliffe, Cllr Tina Combellack:
Copy of the Proclamation I, as Mayor and first Citizen of Rushcliffe, received from the High Sherriff of Nottinghamshire and brought to read in Rushcliffe on the Croquet Green in West Bridgford at 3pm on Sunday 11th September 2022.
It has been a sad time for us all and I should just like to pay my respects to our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth II, our National Treasure, who looked over us, devoting her life and love to our Nation. We will keep her in our hearts forever.
We now look forward to the new reign of her son Charles III.
God Save the King.
(Click here for video of The Proclamation)
SILENCE:
On Sunday 18th September at 8 pm we held a minute’s silence at the village hall in front of the Union Flag, flying at half-mast. The Death of our Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has been a deeply moving experience, and the proclamation of the accession of a New King Charles III was a moment in history that we will always remember.
Brief, though our moment of reflection was, I received the following quite touching comment:
‘Thanks for arranging and conducting tonight. Whilst walking home we both said even though it was very brief, we now felt we had participated, if only a little, in the occasion rather than being just onlookers’.
I was also moved to see that people brought along their dogs – I am sure the Queen would have smiled.
Tina Combellack, Mayor of Rushcliffe.