Former Bristol Cathedral dean set to lead the Queen’s funeral - who is Dr David Hoyle?

Preparations are well underway for Queen Elizabeth II funeral: watch Her Majesty’s full state funeral at Westminster Abbey at home - live stream">the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II next Monday, when the nation will come together to bid a final farewell to the iconic monarch.

Leaders and dignitaries from across the globe are expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Westminster Abbey on September 19 - a special bank holiday.

The funeral will be led by the Dean of Westminster and the Very Reverend Dr Hoyle MBE, who served as dean of Bristol from 2010 - 2019.

Dr Hoyle said the funeral would be ‘living tradition in action’ and was an opportunity to ‘give thanks’ for the late Queen’s extraordinary life and reign.

Who is Dr David Hoyle?

David Hoyle was born in 1957 in Lancashire and was educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys.

He went on to study history and theology at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, before completing his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at Cambridge’s Magdalene College.

Dr Hoyle was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1986 and as a priest in 1987.

He was later made the director of ministry for the Diocese of Gloucester and residentiary canon of Gloucester Cathedral.

Dr Hoyle was appointed the 42nd Dean of Bristol in 2010 and served in that role until 2019 before being made the Dean of Westminster.

He goes by the title of The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE these days, and is currently responsible for overseeing the spiritual life of Westminster Abbey while leading the Abbey community.

Will Dr Hoyle lead the Queen’s funeral?

According to the Royal Family website, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will conduct a short service assisted by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle at the Queen’s funeral.

Dr Hoyle would not comment on what exactly the service would entail, but added that it was an opportunity to mourn and give thanks for the Queen’s ‘extraordinary life’.

"I think, like any funeral, this is an opportunity for us to mourn because we’ve lost someone we held dear and respected," he told the BBC.

"This is an opportunity for us to give thanks for an extraordinary life and an extraordinary achievement, this is an opportunity for us to pray for our new King and for his family in their grief, and this is an opportunity, if you like, for us to give the grief somewhere to go.

"A nation and Commonwealth, quite frankly the whole world, will be paying attention and the abbey will be a bit of a crucible holding all that, if you like."

Funeral to be screened at Bristol Cathedral

The current Dean of Bristol, Dr Mandy Ford, said the Queen’s funeral would be screened in Bristol Cathedral on Monday from 10am - 12.45pm, followed by a eucharist service.

She said: “We are honoured to make the cathedral available for those who would like to come together for the state funeral of her late majesty Queen Elizabeth II and provide space for thanksgiving and remembrance of her majesty the Queen.