Queen Elizabeth II and 9/11

How Queen Elizabeth II responded to 9/11 and how Americans remember her solidarity over 25 years later.

Twenty-five years ago today, the world was plunged into darkness. Terrorists flew planes and brought down the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City; another plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; a third plane, whose intended target was the White House or the Capitol Building, was challenged by the brave passengers and was flown into a field in Pennsylvania. Over 2,970 people lost their lives that day, and scores of others were injured, while countless have been affected by the day’s events ever since.

At Balmoral Castle, the Queen watched the terror unfold. In response, Buckingham Palace issued its first statement within a few hours, expressing her “disbelief and growing shock” as the pictures on television grew worse and worse.

It is with growing disbelief and total shock that I am learning of the terrorist outrages in New York and Washington today. On behalf of the British people Mr. President, may I express my heartfelt sympathy to the very many bereaved and injured, and our admiration for those who are now trying to cope with these unfolding tragedies. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. — Queen Elizabeth II, 9/11

In the days that followed, Her Majesty kept America and Americans in her thoughts. On 13 September 2001, in an unprecedented move, Queen Elizabeth II ordered the Band of the Coldstream Guards to perform the US National Anthem during Changing of the Guard. This had never been done before. The precedent is that National Anthems are only played when a foreign head of state is visiting. “Tourists and British onlookers stood silent, grasping American flags and weeping,” The New York Times wrote at the time.

The Queen also sent a message that was read aloud at a prayer service held at New York City’s St. Tomas Church on 5th Avenue. In her message, Her Majesty gave one of her most enduring quotes, which has resonated with many who are suffering loss — “Grief is the price we pay for love.”

You come together today in St Thomas church in New York united in sorrow by the terrible events of last week. Each and every one of us has been shocked and numbed by what we have witnessed in these recent days.

But none of us should doubt the resilience and determination of this great and much loved city and its people. Men and women from many nations, from many faiths and from many backgrounds were working together in New York City when this unimaginable outrage overtook them all.

At your service today, we think especially of the British victims. For some of them, New York was simply a stopover on some busy travel schedule. For others it was a workplace of excitement and of opportunity. For many it was a familiar second home.

These are dark and harrowing times for families and friends of those who are missing or who suffered in the attack — many of you here today. My thoughts and my prayers are with you all now and in the difficult days ahead.

But nothing that can be said can begin to take away the anguish and the pain of these moments. Grief is the price we pay for love. — Queen Elizabeth II’s message, read by British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and then-Prince Charles also attended a memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral in honour of the attack victims. Another touching gesture was the Cathedral’s half-muffled bells tolling, which reverberated across the capital. The Star-Spangled Banner was performed for the first time in the Cathedral’s history. The late Duke of Edinburgh also spoke at the service, reading the second lesson.

In 2005, construction began on a garden space in the heart of downtown Manhattan, with then-Prince Charles and Camilla personally laying the foundation stone. The idea was prompted by a desire for a living memorial to the British and Commonwealth victims who lost their lives in 2001 and ‘an enduring expression of friendship among the United States, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.’ The Garden is based on a plan by English landscape designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman and combines the historic footprint of this public square with the silhouette of the British Isles.

The ‘Braemar’ stone, worn smooth over the years by the rushing waters of the River Dee near HM The Queen’s home in Balmoral, sits in the South end of the Garden marking the distance from New York to Aberdeen. The composition blends the rich tradition of English gardens with the urban American landscape. New York based garden designers Lynden B. Miller and Ronda M. Brands worked with the Bannerman’s design to create an enduring garden for all seasons, with plants that capture the spirit of an English Garden. — Queen Elizabeth II Garden

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip officially opened the Garden, where the Queen and the Duke met with victims’ families. Administered by the nonprofit British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc., the Garden remains a place of reflection, connection and hope in New York’s Financial District. King Charles III is the Garden’s Royal Patron.

This Garden stands as a testament to the years of dedication, generosity and heartfelt commitment from so many who have given their time, resources and, above all, their love to this vital project. The enduring support of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our patron, His Majesty The King and the continued involvement of the Royal Family have further elevated the significance and legacy of this cherished sanctuary in the heart of Wall Street. — Luke Parker Bowles, Executive Board Director of the British Memorial Garden Trust 

After Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, many in the US remembered her relationship with America and never forgot how she responded to their suffering. Her death was felt just as deeply when it was announced in September 2022. Many Americans travelled to London to pay their respects at her lying-in-state or just to be present, witnessing one of the largest funerals in modern history. Hours after her death, President Joe Biden ordered a proclamation for all flags to be flown at half-mast until the day of Her Majesty’s interment at Windsor.

Twenty-five years later, although Queen Elizabeth II is gone, many still revere the late Queen for her decades of stability and grace. Later this morning, a service will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in New York City, where bereaved families, senior representatives from the Commonwealth, first responders, serving military personnel and civic leaders will gather to honour those killed, stand with those who continue to grieve and recognise the courage, service and international solidarity that followed the attacks.

The program begins with bagpipes at 10 am. At 10:28 am, a bell toll and moment of silence will mark the collapse of the North Tower. At 11:10 am, families, Garden Directors, first responders, military personnel and Diplomatic Representatives will lay white roses in remembrance, accompanied by the Edmonton Police Service Pipes and Drums Band. A second bell and moment of silence at 11:14 am will honour those who died, or continue to suffer, from 9/11-related illnesses and injuries.

The program will include remarks by Chris Elmore MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Sir Christian Turner KCMG, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States; Canadian Consul General Susannah Pierce; and Australian Consul-General Heather Ridout AO.

Soprano Amber Evans will perform the national anthems of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The ceremony will also include a reflection and prayer by Father Luigi Gioia of St. Thomas Church, a piper’s tribute by Pipe Major Mick Burgess and a First-Responder Remembrance led by Jose Camacho, Toronto Police Service (Ret.).