Thanksgiving service

The Prince of Wales was represented by Professor David Cadman at a service of thanksgiving for the life of Shusha Guppy, held on Thursday, June 26 at St James’s Church, Piccadilly.

The Rev Charles Hedley officiated and pronounced the Celtic blessing and the Dean of St Alban’s led the prayers.

Dr Afifi al-Akiki, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, gave the Qura’nic Recitation and Ms Isabella Guppy, granddaughter, read the lesson.

Mr Darius Guppy, son, read Last Night I Saw Angels (Dush didam ke malaayek) by Shams ud-Din Hafez from a translation by Robert Chandler and Mr Constantine Guppy, son, read Le Pont Mirabeau by Guillaume Apollinaire.

Professor Roger Scruton gave the address.

During the service Mr Mark Milhofer, tenor, sang Un’ Aura Amorosa, by Mozart and recordings from Persian Love Songs and Mystic Chants sung by Shusha were played before the service.

Among others present were: Mrs Darius Guppy (daughter-in-law), Edmund and Lorcan Guppy (grandchildren), Mr and Mrs Badri Majd (brother-in-law and sister), Mrs Gity Karbaschi-Teherani, Mrs Parvin Bijar, Mr and Mrs Saeed Imani, Mr and Mrs Peter Petyt, Mr and Mrs Jason Lee with other members of the family.

Viscount and Viscountess Norwich, Viscount and Viscountess Runciman of Doxford, Lord Sudeley, Lord Palumbo, Lady Briggs, Lord Gladwyn, Lady Lasdun, the Dowager Lady Egremont, Lady Ebury, Mr Ben Whitaker and Baroness Whitaker, the Hon Mr William Shawcross, Lady Rose Chomondley, the Hon Julia Camoys Stonor, the Hon Mrs Fionn Morgan, Sir Arnold Wesker, Lady Tickell, Lady Pearce, Lady Lever, Lady Hannam, Sir Peter and Lady Ramsbotham, Lady Cave, Sir Nicholas Barrington, Ldy Rayne, Lady Renwick, Lady Panufnik.

Mr and Mrs Robert Chandler, Mr Stoddard Martin, Mr and Mrs Michael Howard, Mr and Mrs Robert Graham-Harrison, Mr Robert Lee, Mr Daniel Topolski, Dr Anita Brookner, Mr and Mrs Christopher Logue, Mr Irving Wardle, Mr Michael Horowitz QC, Mr Anson Wauchope, Mr and Mrs Derwent May, Mr Colin Thubron, Mr and Mrs Michael Howard, Mr Gillon Aitken, Ms Sophie Scruton, Mr and Mrs Hugh Carless, Mr and Mrs Andrew Sinclair, Ms Tristan Pawsey, Mr and Mrs Lauro Martinez, Mr and Mrs Nezam Amery, Mr Iradj Bagherzade, Mr Taghi Amirani, Dr Ziba Moshaver, Mrs Susan Kyle (Thames Television), Mrs Ania Corless (PEN), Mr Antony Wynn (Iran Society) with many more friends and former colleagues.