THE minister who married Madonna and Guy Ritchie and baptised their son has been appointed as one of the Queen’s chaplains.
Reverend Susan Brown, minister at Dornoch Cathedral, said she was honoured at the news, which recognises her faithful and distinguished service to the Church of Scotland.
Says a spokesperson: “Her new role is in addition to her parish duties, and Mrs Brown will preach before the monarch when she is resident in Balmoral and at other royal occasions north of the Border.
“But the Sutherland-minister has led high profile services before, having conducted the wedding of Madonna and Guy Ritchie and baptising their son Rocco in 2000.”
Mrs Brown, 52, said: “I’m surprised, delighted and somewhat shocked by the appointment, as I had never thought for a second I would be a chaplain to Her Majesty.
“I have only preached at Crathie Kirk once before back in 2001, and it was a privilege preaching to the real Queen so soon after services with the ‘Queen of Pop’.
“It is a tremendous honour, and I look forward to serving in whatever way I can.”
The spokesperson added: “To mark the appointment, Mrs Brown will be given a red cassock bearing a badge with the royal cypher and crown within an oval wreath.
“There are ten chaplains to the Queen in Scotland, and 33 in the UK. A date has yet to be announced for Mrs Brown’s formal installation as royal chaplain.:
Born in Edinburgh, she was educated at Penicuik High from 1971 to 1977 before studying for the ministry at the University of Edinburgh.
She was licensed by the Presbytery of Lothian in 1983 and served as an assistant at St Giles Cathedral for two years. She was inducted and ordained into Killearnan Parish Church at Ross in 1985, before being called to her current charge in 1998.
She is married to NHS Highland lead chaplain, Reverend Derek Brown, and has two children.
During her time in ministry, Mrs Brown has built up a reputation for her creative style of worship and illustrations.
Each year she chooses a thought-provoking item as a gift for any couples she marries.
Previous items have included toilet roll, to show that love is long, soft and strong, bubbles, because you need to lift the lid on relationships and breathe life into them in order to flourish, and a one pence piece – because you should always be number one in each other’s eyes, and if you look after the pennies, the pounds will roll in.
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Contact: Gordon Bell
Phone: 0131 240 2204
Email: gbell@cofscotland.org.uk
Website: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk
