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Royal News

Queen Camilla celebrates the harvest at special ceremony at Westminster Abbey

By
17th October 2025
Queen Camilla stands in front of a table of bright harvest produce including an orange pumpkin

The Queen attended a special service at Westminster Abbey to give thanks for the harvest as farmers across the UK bring in their crops.

Harvest festivals and thanksgivings are held in churches across the country during early autumn and this special ceremony, in the heart of London, also marked World Food Day.

It was organised by Love British Food which promotes homegrown produce.

Queen Camilla was welcomed to Westminster Abbey with flowers, presented as she arrived at the West Door.

The service included a special verse, written by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, called ‘Bread of Heaven’. It followed the theme of the ceremony which gave thanks for the role farming plays in keeping food on tables across the country.

There was also a focus on those who help those in need as those working to tackle food poverty were also celebrated. The Queen met representatives of food distribution charities.

As The Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey, The King released a statement in which he said:

”Today is a most wonderful way to celebrate our Lord’s bounty through this year’s National Harvest Service in the magnificent setting of Westminster Abbey. It’s a time of year to give thanks to the custodians of our land in a tradition that stretches back centuries, yet remains ever relevant. Their labour is the foundation of our food production, the heartbeat of rural communities and vital to the protection of the natural landscapes we all treasure so dearly.”

King Charles on the National Harvest Service

Queen Camila was also shown some of the freshly grown harvest brought to the Abbey as part of the celebrations.

The Queen chose a bright green coat dress by Anna Valentine for the service which also celebrated another of her great passions – literature.

The Queen’s Reading Room shared a full rendition of the Poet Laureate’s new verse that was heard at the Abbey during the service on its social media.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Editor in Chief at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra.Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024.June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station.June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.