10 June 2002: The Queen and Prince Philip host a reception for representatives of different faiths at Buckingham Palace Around 800 guests from the diverse faith communities within the UK gathered at Buckingham Palace on Monday 10 June 2002 for a special reception to mark The Queen's Golden Jubilee. The reception, hosted by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales, was also attended by The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent. Guests included members of the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Also present were around 80 young people from Christian and other religious backgrounds attending the Faith Forum at St. James's Palace. Forum participants, aged between 16 and 24, were discussing the themes of faith, service and community in 21st-century Britain. At one stage during the reception, members of the Royal Family, faith leaders and guests gathered in the Ballroom, where the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey, delivered an address on the importance of inter-faith relationships. The reception was held in Jubilee year to reflect the growth of religious and cultural diversity in Britain over the 50 years of The Queen's reign. The Queen's Jubilee programme of visits was also planned to encompass visits to Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish faith centres across the United Kingdom. Her Majesty had recently visited the Highgate Hill Murugan (Hindu) Temple in London on 6 June.    Back to June index