Dean of Westminster David Hoyle: Who is the man leading the Queen's funeral?
- Published
The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle has been described as a "consummate professional"
Preparations are being made for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, when the nation will say a final farewell to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
The funeral, which can be watched on TV, heard on radio and followed online, will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, who said the service would be "living tradition in action".
It will be held at Westminster Abbey on a special bank holiday, on Monday 19 September, and is expected to be attended by leaders and dignitaries from around the world.
What is Dr Hoyle's background?
David Hoyle was born in 1957 in Lancashire. He studied history and theology at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980.
He was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1986 and as a priest in 1987.
Dr Hoyle, who became the 39th Dean of Westminster in 2019 following the retirement of John Hall, is responsible for overseeing the spiritual side of Westminster Abbey.
He has previously worked as chaplain and fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge; vicar of Christ Church, Southgate; and director of ministry and canon residentiary at Gloucester Cathedral.
He was also the Dean of Bristol.
Dr Hoyle attended a memorial service at Westminster Abbey on the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire where 72 people lost their lives
He recently led a thanksgiving service celebrating the life and work of Dame Vera Lynn and conducted a memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh.
Dr Hoyle also attended the Grenfell fire memorial service at Westminster Abbey on 14 June, the fifth anniversary of the tragedy.
What kind of leader will he be?
Dr Hoyle will be "appropriately concerned" but "confident" in leading the Queen's funeral, his former colleagues have said.
"David is a professional - a consummate professional - and he will know his place and he will have the confidence of knowing the context in which he is operating," said John Savage, lay canon and treasurer of Bristol Cathedral, who worked with Dr Hoyle for nine years.
Queen Elizabeth II is introduced to performers by Dr Hoyle as she leaves the Commonwealth Day Service 2020
On watching him lead, Dr Savage said: "I'll be proud. I will be saying to folk with me, 'I know him; he's my mate.' He's the right man for doing this.
"We couldn't have asked for a better arrangement really as a country."
Rita Banfield, who was in charge of Dr Hoyle's robes when he was Dean of Bristol said he would be feeling "some trepidation and some fulfilment of his destiny".
"He must have known when he was appointed only a very short time ago that the inevitable could happen during his time as dean," she said.
What has he said?
Dr Hoyle declined to comment on the exact contents of the service, but said it would be an opportunity to mourn and give thanks for the Queen's "extraordinary life".
"I think, like any funeral, this is an opportunity for us to mourn because we've lost someone we held dear and respected," he said.
"This is an opportunity for us to give thanks for an extraordinary life and an extraordinary achievement, this is an opportunity for us to pray for our new King and for his family in their grief, and this is an opportunity, if you like, for us to give the grief somewhere to go.
"A nation and Commonwealth, quite frankly the whole world, will be paying attention and the abbey will be a bit of a crucible holding all that, if you like."
Dr Hoyle knew that when he became Dean of Westminster he might well one day face the responsibility of leading the Queen's funeral
The abbey has been the setting for all but two coronations of English monarchs since 1066. It is also where Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947, five years before she became Queen.
When asked if the funeral would feature modern updates, Dr Hoyle said: "I'll wait and see because I'm not going to comment on the content of the service.
"But this is Westminster Abbey, this is Her Majesty the Queen; I think you can assume that you're going to see tradition in action, living tradition in action."
- Published19 September 2022
- Published8 September 2022
