Harry congratulated his wedding choirmaster on MBE honour
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The Duke of Sussex wrote to congratulate the choirmaster who led the gospel singers at his wedding after she was made an MBE.
Karen Gibson, the founder and director of the Kingdom Choir that sang to great praise during Harry and Meghan’s big day, was presented with the honour by the Princess Royal for services to music.
Speaking after the Windsor Castle ceremony, Ms Gibson said she was not in regular contact with the duke but it appears he still takes an interest in the choir.
She said: “We did hear from the master of the wedding a lovely thank you note (after the service) and when I was awarded the MBE last year, Harry wrote me a lovely congratulatory letter – I was really surprised.”
The choir sang a special arrangement of Stand By Me, a song made famous by singer Ben E King, after the firebrand address by US bishop Michael Curry.
When the newlyweds left St George’s Chapel, the gospel classic Amen/This Little Light Of Mine was performed.
Ms Gibson said about the wedding: “I’m never going to forget that day, it started with the police escorting the choir as we travelled by coach.
“The weather was beautiful, the choir were giddy with excitement as we waited in the church for Meghan to come in – I remember the hubbub in the air. And I remember Meghan herself coming in looking absolutely angelic.”
She added the life of the choir has been transformed by that one performance with concerts worldwide and a CD release.
“It changed my life, what it did was catapult these church folk into a completely new sphere. Where we were doing things in the church and the community, we were now on a world stage,” she said.
The choirmaster said about the MBE: “This is surreal because I’m just doing this for the love of it, for the impact of it and what it did for people’s lives, so to find yourself receiving an award for services to music is quite something.”
