My gratitude also extends, of course, to the very many supporters who helped us comprehensively beat our £20,000 target: at last count, the total – made up from the proceeds of the fete, sponsorship from our Music and The Voice event and online giving – stands at just over £33,000, including Gift Aid. Magnificent! The money raised will be used in its entirety to provide enhanced facilities for the current and future generations of QE pupils. For those who still wish to give, the JustGiving page remains open.

There were many highlights of the day. The congregation at our Thanksgiving Service enjoyed, for example, an entertaining address given by the Guest Speaker, Michael Stewart CBE (OE 1978–1985), that took in his career in counter-terrorism, his own School days here, and much more besides.

In our 449th anniversary year, we hold tenaciously to our traditions, and it was pleasing to welcome visitors to the Roll Call and reading of the School Chronicle.

The fete was as popular as ever, and there really was something to suit all tastes, from superb food to live music, and from Shakespeare performances to the rather less erudite attractions offered by the chance to soak the unfortunates consigned to the stocks.

The memorial service for former Headmaster Eamonn Harris (1984–1999) was an addition to our usual Founder’s Day programme, and a singularly appropriate one, since it was Eamonn who reinstated the tradition of bringing the whole School community together for reflection and celebration on the third Saturday in June. It was a moving event, and it was lovely to welcome back so many former pupils and members of staff alongside Eamonn’s family and friends.


There were, in fact, a great many Old Elizabethans present on the day – more than I can remember on similar occasions in the past. They included: the cricketers in the afternoon’s now-traditional Stanley Busby Memorial Match on Third Field (this year won by the School); the 17-strong group celebrating 50 years since leaving in 1972 who have been meeting up on Founder’s Day since the turn of the millennium; and Sir Lucian Grainge (OE 1971–1978), chairman and chief executive officer of the global music company, Universal Music Group, together with his brother Justin Grainge (OE 1976-1981) – both visiting for the first time in decades.

That there were alumni in their first year of university who, by virtue of the Friends’ Recital Hall and Music Rooms, were able to look around parts of the campus new even to them, tells its own story about the huge impact that FQE as a charity has had upon the School and the opportunities that the boys can enjoy all year round.



Thanks to the selfless efforts of many, and the generosity of many more, Founder’s Day 2022 was both a triumph as our biggest fundraiser of the year and a memorable celebration of all that is good about Queen Elizabeth’s School.

With warmest wishes

Mr Neil Enright
Headmaster