35 pictures showing how Cambridge and Ely commemorated the life of Queen Elizabeth II

Cambridge and Ely held services commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth II, attended by hundreds of people, and our photographer was on hand to capture them all.

Services at Ely Cathedral and Great St Mary’s Church on Sunday (September 18) - the day before the state funeral - were followed on Tuesday (September 20) by one at King’s College.

More than 800 people attended the service of thanksgiving at Ely Cathedral.

Dignitaries including the Lord-Lieutenant, judges and mayors from across the region turned out for the service at which the Bishop of Ely, the Rt Rev Stephen Conway, gave a moving sermon and lead the commendation.

The music was specially arranged for the occasion and included In Paradisum from Faure’s Requiem sung by the Choirs of Ely Cathedral.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence, who read one of the lessons, said it was an “amazing” tribute.

“Like the Archbishop of Canterbury on Monday, the Bishop of Ely set the tone about Her Majesty and got it spot on. It was an excellent service,” she said.

“At the end, everyone was singing the National Anthem at the top of their voice and feeling that they had been part of it. Ely did a fantastic job. All the thanksgiving services have been different, but all extremely good.”

Among those in attendance were the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Jennifer Crompton, former University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Prof Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, and former Lord-Lieutenant Sir Hugh Duberly.

Later that day, at Great St Mary’s Church in Cambridge, close to 500 people attended a service of commemoration, including Cambridge mayor Cllr Mark Ashton, MP Daniel Zeichner and University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen J Toope.

It aimed to mark the “exemplary and inspiring life” of Her Majesty.

The Bishop of Huntingdon, the Rt Rev Dr Dagmar Winters, officiated and preached, while the choir was directed by Dr Benedict Todd and the organ played by Mark Zang.

The university church invited people to bring their Paddington bears along with them, a nod to the popular film of the Queen with the character shown during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year.

Associate vicar the Rev Devin McLachlan brought his bear.

“He’s a little unrecognisable, he’s so old, but he’s still a Paddington Bear. He sat with me up in my stall,” he said.

He described the service as “very moving”, adding: “The bishop gave a wonderful sermon. It was lovely to make it an open service.”

Mrs Spence, who also gave a reading at this service, said: “As at the funeral on Monday, the inclusion of other faiths at Great St Mary’s was phenomenal. The Queen wanted to be the Queen of faiths.

“Bishop Dagmar urged people to affirm that they would carry work, such as caring for the environment, inclusion and diversity, that Her Majesty was passionate about. Hearing people say ‘I will’ was a really appropriate moment.

“It felt that the city came together to take on the pledges.”

King’s held a service of choral evensong to mark the death of the Queen, who had visited the chapel several times, and the accession of King Charles III.

This week’s Cambridge Independent features special coverage of the commemorations and the funeral.