Magna Carta at 800: music and majesty at Runnymede

HM The Queen and other members of the Royal Family gathered at Runnymede on 15 June 2015 to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, one of the most significant documents in history. Its influence, as a cornerstone of fundamental liberties, is felt all around the world in numerous countries' constitutions and political traditions.

1. Magna Carta 800

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Prime Minister David Cameron, HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and other senior members of The Royal Family gathered at the Magna Carta memorial to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta on 15 June 2015 at Runnymede. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
2. Magna Carta 800

The Magna Carta memorial was the backdrop to a ceremony to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta at Runnymede near Windsor on 15 June 2015. HM The Queen led commemorations on the meadow, where her distant predecessor King John sealed Magna Carta, the document that laid the foundation for parliamentary democracy in the West, on 15 June 1215. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
3. Magna Carta 800

Soldiers stand on parade at the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Event on 15 June 2015 in Runnymede. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
4. Magna Carta 800

The Temple Church Choir and Director of Music Roger Sayer on the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta at Runnymede. The choir performed a new anthem by John Rutter for HM The Queen’s arrival. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
5. Magna Carta 800

The orchestra celebrated the strong American presence on the day with pieces such as Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland and Morton Gould’s American Salute. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
6. Magna Carta 800

Composer John Rutter composed a special anthem which was played for the arrival of the Queen at Runnymede. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
7. Magna Carta 800

Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a speech during the service to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta on 15 June 2015 in Runnymede. He talked about British pride in Magna Carta and how its principles are held dear by many. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
8. Magna Carta 800

The London Philharmonic Orchestra and members of the Royal Holloway University Orchestra performed a number of English dances including an Elizabethan dance and a Morris dance. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
9. Magna Carta 800

HRH The Duke of Cambridge unveiled an art installation, titled The Jurors, consisting of 12 specially crafted bronze chairs, symbolising the ongoing struggle for freedoms set out in the 800-year-old document. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
10. Magna Carta 800

The Choir of Royal Holloway and the Temple Church Choir performed a mixed repertoire with many of the pieces selected being inspired by Magna Carta's principals of liberty and freedom or having some historical relevance. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
11. Magna Carta 800

The London Philharmonic Orchestra and members of the Royal Holloway University Orchestra performed pieces by Shostakovich, Holst, Beethoven and Vaughan Williams, setting the scene by the banks of the Thames. Photo: Chris Christodoulou
12. Magna Carta 800

Rebecca Miller. Fellow in Performance from the Royal Holloway College Department of Music, is presented to HM The Queen at the Magna Carta 800 celebrations, 15 June 2015. Photo: Chris Christodoulou