Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell 'heals' Queen's car in amusing story shared in House of Lords

The Archbishop of York shared an amusing story in Parliament about healing the Queen's car.

Speaking in the House of Lords on Saturday 10 September, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell said he had to step when the Queen's car wouldn't start.

The Most Reverend said: "I’ve even got a slightly scurrilous story about healing the Queen's car.

"I’d preached in Sandringham Parish Church. We were standing outside. The Bentley was there to get the Queen, the Bentley didn’t start.

"It made that throaty noise that cars make in the middle of winter when they’re not going to start. Everybody stood there, doing nothing."

He continued: "I’m expecting a policeman to intervene. Nothing happens.

"Enjoying the theatre of the moment, I stepped forward and made a large sign of the cross over the Queen’s car to the enjoyment of the crowd.

"There were hundreds of people there. It was the Queen!

"I see the Queen out of the corner of my eye looking rather stony-faced at this point and I think perhaps I’ve over stepped the mark.

"Anyway, the driver tries the car again and praise the Lord, the car started.

"The Queen gets in, goes back to Sandringham, I follow in another car."

When the Archbishop arrived at Sandringham for lunch, he was met with an unexpected surprise.

He recalled the Queen coming in with a beaming smile and saying: "Ah Bishop. It’s the Bishop. He healed my car.”

It was something that apparently stuck with Her Majesty, as the subject was brought up two years later when the pair met again.

The Archbishop said: "When I was greeting her at the west front of Chelmsford Cathedral, just as a very grand service was about to start and we’re all dressed up to the nines, she took me to one side and said, 'Bishop, nice to see you again, I think the car’s alright today but if I have any problems, I know where not come'".

The UK and world reacts to the death of Her Majesty The Queen at 96...