King honours Aberdeenshire minister for distinguished personal service
Published on 19 June 2024 4 minutes read
A Church of Scotland minister has been made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order. (LVO)
Rev Kenneth MacKenzie was honoured by His Majesty King Charles III in recognition of his distinguished personal service to the Monarch and members of the Royal Family.
The minister of the Parish of Braemar and Crathie in Aberdeenshire is a member of the Chapel Royal and has provided pastoral and spiritual support to the Royal Family since 2005.
Members of the Royal Family worship at Crathie Kirk while they are staying at nearby Balmoral Castle – a haven that was adored by the late Queen Elizabeth, and her husband Prince Philip.
A Domestic Chaplain, Mr MacKenzie was on hand to comfort the Royal Family following the death of Her Majesty the Queen at Balmoral in September 2022.
He said: "I am honoured to have been awarded this recognition directly by His Majesty the King.
"In making this presentation, he, and by extension other members of The Royal Family, has once again publicly acknowledged and expressed his gratitude for the prayerful pastoral support that has been offered to him and the family by the Church and in particular by the Chapel Royal in Scotland down through the ages and especially in recent years.
"These awards are only ever given to individuals, but in every case the recipient has always represented a much wider body.
"At the time of the late Queen's death in Balmoral, I was the chaplain most closely engaged with the Royal Family and was simply being and doing what any of my colleagues would be and do in any similar situation."
Pastoral support
Mr MacKenzie, who is known as Ken, ministered to HM the Queen in her final days.
He was part of the funeral cortege to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and, along with other members of the Chapel Royal, kept watch over Her Majesty's coffin while it lay at rest in the palace and later at St Giles Cathedral.
Throughout the period of mourning, Royal chaplains supported the Royal Family and Mr MacKenzie played an official role during a service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle where the Queen was laid to rest beside her husband.
Church of Scotland ministers provide pastoral support to all people who live in their parishes and the Royal Family are no different.
There are 10 chaplains to the King in Scotland and each normally holds office until the age of 70.
The prestigious role dates back to the 15th century and members of the Chapel Royal take part in formal state occasions and conduct services at significant national events.
The chaplains, along with a physician, a surgeon, an apothecary, a sculptor, an astronomer, an historiographer and some others form part of His Majesty's household.
His Royal Highness Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, represented King Charles as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly last month and paid tribute to the Chapel Royal.
He said: "For my own part, I want to pay personal tribute to the Chaplains of the Chapel Royal, and especially those here in Scotland.
"There have been moments recently when I feel I have been lucky to have sensed God's care and love. Who can forget the scenes that followed the passing of my mother?
"The outpouring of emotions, the demonstration of respect, love and grief was overwhelming and a privilege to experience and behold.
"I think I can speak for my whole family when I say that we will remain forever grateful for that support.
"Coming so soon after the passing of my father, which of course happened while we were still under pandemic restrictions, made everything far more emotional.
"I was really touched and comforted by the manner in which the Chaplains made us all feel behind closed doors and away from the public gaze and scrutiny.
"Yes, I know it's part of the job description so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised, yet it's not necessarily what they did, it's how they did it.
"Here were centuries of tradition, of rituals long practised, of prayer, of care and of comfort."
Historic oath
The Royal Victorian Order was established by Queen Victoria in 1896 as a personal award to recognise "distinguished personal service" to the Monarch and her household.
It was the first Order of Chivalry that was given at the sole discretion of the Sovereign and the current Grand Master is Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
Signing an historic oath to uphold the Presbyterian system of Church governance in Scotland was His Royal Highness's first act after being officially proclaimed King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
British monarchs have sworn to uphold the Protestant religion in Scotland and maintain Presbyterian Church Government and the oath reflects the constitutional independence of the Church from the state.
The Church of Scotland recognises only Jesus Christ as 'King and Head of the Church'.
King Charles III, therefore, does not hold the title 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of Scotland and when attending Church services in Scotland His Majesty does so as an ordinary member.