Speaking truth amidst power
Anne van Staveren reflects on visiting the palace
Early on the morning of 27 March, twelve of us met for worship in Friends House. In the stillness, one person spoke of her deep sense of belonging and responsibility for the day ahead. We were Quakers from Scotland, Wales and England, representing Britain Yearly Meeting to present an address to the monarch on her diamond jubilee.
Quakers were invited as a ‘privileged body’ with the right to address the head of state at significant moments. Since the seventeenth century Friends have addressed both parliament and the sovereign by letter or petition, in print and in person. I felt a great sense of history as we set off for Buckingham Palace.
The ceremony was in the Ballroom. A string orchestra played ‘Londonderry Air’. We were in good company. Artists and academics, four archbishops and a chief rabbi, councillors and chancellors, bankers, mayors, scientists, diplomats and people of faith; two hundred from twenty-seven privileged bodies.
We were fifth to speak. I was nervous. Would our words sound carefully weighed? We could speak for a minute and present a longer written address. Joycelin Dawes, clerk and chair of trustees for Quaker Social Action, delivered our address in a very measured way. Afterwards, Joycelin reflected: ‘Our address came from the heart on issues that concern us. We were appreciated for speaking truth amidst power, and some told us they felt supported by it.’
Meeting for Sufferings, while noting reservations, welcomed the opportunity to communicate what we hold most important. A few of us worked hard on a draft, before it was further revised by clerks of Britain Yearly Meeting trustees, Meeting for Sufferings and Yearly Meeting. The key line for me was this: ‘At the United Nations you spoke of the leadership required in the waging of peace. Quakers too are deeply committed to peace and nonviolence.’ We spoke of our commitment to become a low-carbon, sustainable community and our belief that ‘the environmental crisis is enmeshed with global economic injustice’. Those listening (and the media, too) picked up this line: ‘We see the light of God in everyone. Thus we welcome the new right to celebrate civil partnerships on religious premises as a step towards equality in marriage.’
In the Picture Gallery reception, where some of us relished looking at paintings by Canaletto, Vermeer, Rembrandt and Rubens, we made the most of the opportunity to network. Other guests said our address was ‘bold and honest’. For Ingrid Greenhow the real joy of the event was ‘the opportunity to exchange views with people of influence’. She said: ‘I feel for us to be able to address the monarch about what concerns us is equality.’
Siobhan Haire and Andrew Williams represented Young Friends General Meeting. Both said the Quaker group was noticeably more diverse than others and ‘had a decent gender balance’. Andrew felt we were walking in Margaret Fell’s footsteps, saying to the monarch: ‘We are aware of the state of the world and it needs to change’.
Walking home across sunny St James Park some words stayed in my mind. Praising the privileged bodies for their contribution over sixty years, the queen said: ‘the church and other religious bodies have offered a spiritual and social framework, sustained communities and helped the disadvantaged’. I was overwhelmed to be part of the Quaker delegation.
The complete address is available at: www.thefriend.org/article/speaking-truth
