The Right Reverend Dorrien Davies, Lord Bishop of St Davids, has been formally installed as the first Church in Wales Dean of the Royal Chaplaincy for Wales during a special Accession Day service at St Davids Cathedral.
The service, held at St David's Cathedral on Tuesday, September 8, marked Bishop Dorrien’s appointment by His Majesty The King as Dean of the newly established Royal Chaplaincy for Wales.
The appointment is a historic one, with King’s Honorary Chaplains from the Church in Wales appointed for the first time.
The occasion began with a procession from Cross Square to the Cathedral, with members of the Yeomen of the Guard in attendance.
Children from Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi helped to mark the occasion, waving off the procession with flags and bunting as it made its way towards the Cathedral.
Following the service, Bishop Dorrien said:
“It is a huge privilege and a great honour to have been appointed by His Majesty The King as Dean of the Royal Chaplaincy for Wales.
“I am deeply conscious that this appointment is not simply a personal honour, but one which reflects the historic and continuing relationship between the Crown, the Church in Wales and the people and communities we are called to serve.
“To have been installed here at St Davids Cathedral, a place with such profound connections to the history, faith and story of our nation, made the occasion especially meaningful.
“I look forward to serving in this role alongside my fellow King’s Honorary Chaplains and to playing our part in the civic, national and spiritual life of Wales.”
Honorary King’s Chaplains have traditionally been appointed from the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, although appointments can also include clergy from other denominations. The establishment of the Royal Chaplaincy for Wales marks the first time clerics of the Church in Wales have been appointed to these roles.
St Davids Cathedral has a long and historic connection with the Royal Family, dating back centuries and including strong links with the Tudor dynasty. One particularly unusual tradition is that the Sovereign still holds an official place within the Cathedral Chapter, reflecting the special relationship between the Crown and St Davids.
The appointment of the Dean also reflects the special relationship between His Majesty The King and Wales. As the longest-serving Prince of Wales, His Majesty developed a close connection with Welsh life, language and culture. Since becoming King, Welsh has continued to feature prominently at Royal occasions, including the Coronation, while the Cross of Wales was commissioned for the Coronation procession and the tradition of the Royal Harpist has continued.
The Royal Chaplaincy for Wales includes six King’s Honorary Chaplains, with one appointed from each of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, alongside Bishop Dorrien as Dean.
They are the Revd Llewelyn Moules Jones, Diocese of Bangor; the Revd Julian Gray, Diocese of Monmouth; the Revd Canon Michael Balkwill, Diocese of St Asaph; the Ven Mark Preece, Diocese of Llandaff; the Revd Dr Emma Louise Whittick, Diocese of Swansea and Brecon; and the Revd Canon Michael Huw Rowlands, Diocese of St Davids.
The six senior clerics were appointed in recognition of their distinguished service and received their insignia of office directly from The King during the historic Royal Maundy service at St Asaph Cathedral in April.
The King’s Honorary Chaplains wear a distinctive scarlet cassock together with a badge bearing the Royal cypher. During their period of appointment, each will be invited to preach at a Royal Chapel and may also be invited by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants to participate in national, civic and local occasions and Royal visits across Wales.
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