Lord Heywood remembered

HRH The Prince of Wales was represented by the Rt Hon The Lord Wilson of Dinton GCB, and HRH The Duke of York was represented by the Rt Hon The Baroness Fairhead CBE.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, who said in his Bidding:

Jeremy Heywood’s funeral here in Henry VII’s Lady Chapel on 23rd November last year was a powerful occasion, of honour for the recently created Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, the Order whose home is in that chapel, and of sorrow at his early death.

Today, however, is an act of thanksgiving for Jeremy Heywood’s life and for all he achieved, especially in his years in public service, working closely with four Prime Ministers and other senior members of Her Majesty’s Government, and in his final role as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Jeremy Heywood has been described as the outstanding civil servant of his generation and the indispensable advisor to four Prime Ministers. One friend wrote, “He was like the sun for so many of us. We all orbited around him. This was certainly the case for his friends, for his colleagues in Whitehall, and for his family.

Let this be a true celebration.

Testimonies were read by the Rt Hon Tony Blair; the Rt Hon Gordon Brown; the Rt Hon Sir Nick Clegg; the Rt Hon David Cameron; and the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Prime Minister.

Simon Heywood, brother, read Wisdom 4: 7-15; and Peter, Elizabeth and Jonathan Heywood, children, read 1 Corinthians 13.

The Address was given by the Rt Hon The Lord O'Donnell GCB.