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Description

Guidance on taking time to reflect upon the life and service of HM Queen Elizabeth II, our patron.

The passing of our HM The Queen may impact everyone differently. Therefore, how you’d prefer to reflect and observe is at each group’s discretion. Remember to keep it accessible and inclusive.

We’ve put together a suggested flag break reflection as part of this activity.

You can adapt this so it works for your group. You may choose to have a poem to read, a visitor to invite, or some important local context to add. This activity can be used as inspiration for you to create an event that works for you.

Resources

https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/a-royal-reflection/

Flag & Flag Break
If you don't have / do a Flag break you can still follow the reflection without it.
Print out of reflection for young person to read

Instructions

Start your meeting by lowering your flag to half-mast.
An adult volunteer should introduce the reflection, which is as follows:

Welcome everyone. You’ll see that today we’ve lowered our flag to half-mast.

Does anyone know why?
Yes, this is as a mark of respect to HM The Queen, who has very sadly passed away.
As well as being our Queen for over seventy years, she was also the Patron of Scouts. This means that she took care of us, supported us and encouraged us to do our best.
Today’s meeting will be a little quieter than normal, and I’d like us to show kindness in all we say and do today and in the future to be respectful to her memory.
I’d like us to start our meeting with a short reflection on the Queen, which (Name of Young Person) is kindly going to read.


A young person or young leader could read the reflection:

Your Majesty,
Thank you for all you’ve done for us,
For your kindness and for your service.
Thank you for giving so much time to help others
And inspiring us to do the same.
Thank you for your encouragement
To do our best and to do our duty.
Thank you for showing us the way
By being our shining light.
We’ll never forget you, and promise
To carry on your good work by
showing kindness in all we do
and supporting our communities.
Thank you for being our Queen, our Patron
And a friend to Scouts everywhere.


Observe a minute’s silence:

Thank you (Name of Young Person). We’ll now bow our heads for a minute’s silence.
After the minute’s silence, ask your young people if they would like to share any personal thoughts or reflections about Queen Elizabeth II. Here are some questions you can ask your group to prompt a response:

Did anyone meet the Queen? What was she like?
Did anyone see the Queen speak on TV? What did you think of her?
I’d like you all now to think of one word that sums up the Queen. If you don’t have a word, don’t worry. Have a think for a moment, then we’ll all say our word in turn. It’s okay if someone has the same word as you.
You could have a list of words for people to choose from or turn your words into artwork or a card to send to Buckingham Palace.


Close your reflection and thank everyone for participating.

Thanks again everyone and well done. We’re going to leave the flag at half-mast during our meeting to remind us of The Queen. Let’s keep in mind those words that (Name of Young Person) shared and be respectful to the memory of The Queen by everything we say and do today and in the future.

Tags

• queen

Badge Links

• All Around Us - Help
• All Around Us - National
• All Together - Help
• Faith - Read
• World - Worship