Harper’s Bazaar sent us these exclusive photos of Angelina Jolie inside St. Paul’s Cathedral last week. As you may remember, Angelina attended the a ceremony for the Service of Installation of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Bath, an order of which she is a member since she was dame’d in 2014. Angelina has been in England for months working on Maleficent 2, and I guess she had an afternoon off to attend this event. While she was in the cathedral, Angelina went to the American Memorial Chapel within the building:
Angelina Jolie visited St. Paul’s Cathedral in London Thursday to attend a ceremony for the 200th anniversary of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, an award which recognizes the work of service officers or diplomats in a foreign country. While at the Anglican church, the actress and activist made her way to the American Memorial Chapel, which honors 28,000 American soldiers who were stationed in the U.K. during World War II and lost their lives. In exclusive photos obtained by BAZAAR.com, Jolie looks moved as she looks through the names of the deceased veterans inside the chapel.
Jolie places her hand over her heart while reading the 500-page, leather-bound book that contains the inscription, “Defending freedom from the fierce assault of tyranny they shared the honor and the sacrifice. Though they died before the dawn of victory their names and deed will long be remembered where ever free men live.”
The chapel in St. Paul’s contains many references to the U.S. The three stained-glass windows contain the state symbols of every American state, the wood carvings contain the birds, plants and flowers of America, and in one panel are a space rocket and stars — a nod to the American space program. Jolie has been a fierce supporter of American soldiers and veterans. In 2014, the actress donated an undisclosed sum of money to The Independent’s Christmas campaign for homeless veterans, according to the publication.
It’s true that Angelina has done some work with British and American military issues and veterans’ issues. She’s even made USO trips too, to meet American and NATO soldiers in the field or on military bases. I actually didn’t know that there is an American Memorial Chapel within a major British Anglican cathedral. I looked up the history – apparently, part of the original cathedral was bombed during World War II, and when the Brits rebuilt it after the war, they dedicated that part of the cathedral to the Americans who lost their lives in WWII. The chapel was opened in 1958, with the Queen and then-vice president Richard Nixon in attendance. The history of this is really extraordinary – I’m glad Angelina got a chance to see it in person, it must have been so moving. They even opened up the glass case so she could turn the pages on the book!!
Photos courtesy of WENN and JDH-London (sent from Bazaar’s promotional email).
Never knew about the cathedral. What a moving monument to those who died.
nor did I and I agree completely with you.
it sounds like a really beautiful place that does a wonderful job of honoring not just the US soldiers, but the US as an entity.
The cathedral was built by Christopher Wren after the area had been completely razed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. During the Blitz in 1940-41, it was damaged – the transept and the high altar, the dome received some damage too.
St. Paul’s was not the only cathedral that was damaged during WWII. Coventry Cathedral was almost completely destroyed. However, instead of rebuilding it, the shell of the gothic cathedral was left untouched and a modern structure was built adjacent to the old structure. The new cathedral was consecrated in 1962 with the first first performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem that was specifically written for this event .
Very interesting. Thank you, ArtHistorian!
That’s a good visit. But the hand on heart thing looked so contrived!
I like this dress btw. R&R is a good match for her.
It would be good if we think of half glass full instead of half glass empty. Why must every action of someone be viewed negatively.
Perhaps she didn’t know there were photographers present. Lol!
Perhaps looking at over 400,000 American war dead presented in book form made her gasp a little, and moved her.
Or it could be like Chelsea Handler says, she’s a demon c word who eats infants.
I like her a lot, and her very existence doesn’t lower my self esteem and make me question my own usefulness in this world, she inspires. I do realize some women live in the hope she’ll be exposed as something or someone awful, so they’ll feel better about their own ugly souls and won’t stand in such juxtaposition to her decency.
Keep hope alive Handler base!
Oh my, hahaha! Sorry to disappoint, my soul is completely ordinary.
This exchange made me laugh. Surely in the history of the world, this type of convo happened over another woman. Perhaps Joan of Arc? Eve?
“She is the original woman harlot who tempted Adam and fate!”
“No! We owe her our existence, she is the mother personified, I would give my life for her were she not predeceased”
Now we’re comparing St. Angie to Joan of Arc? Jesus, take the wheel…
What is with the St. Angie, DuchessCrumpetshire? Jesus take the wheel, in deed!
I’d be crying if I were there and I am not even American. She has known veterans such as Louis Zamperini, it is touching that she does this, given her involvement visiting troops in Iraq, or injured soldiers in Germany.
eh, I don’t think it was posed, or anything, if that’s what you mean.
I’m sure I’ve made that exact same gesture while watching Band of Brothers and Shoah. when something moves you, you’re not thinking about how you look to people watching.
That’s really nice they let her look at the book. My father is from northern France and my French grandparents survived living in occupied France. My American grandfather is also a WWII vet. I’ve been to the Normandy DDay beaches a few times, if you’ve taken any amount of time to drive around the Normandy countryside there are memorials and crosses all over the place commemorating both wars (WWI and WWII) pretty much in every seaside town and remnants of German bunkers. There are many memorials to American soldiers but also British, Canadian, and Australian.
I’ve been on a WWII kick lately and just finished the book All the Light We Cannot See and just “binged” (not really the appropriate word?) a 6 part documentary on Auschwitz on Netflix because I was sick at home last week. I appreciate Angelina’s interest in these kinds of things, I wonder if she has any WWII familial connections herself.
@Amelie A really good WWII read is Beneath A Scarlet Sky by William T. Sullivan. It’s historical fiction based on the life of a young Italian man who joined the SS to avoid being killed by them, and he ended up becoming a spy for the resistance when he inadvertently became the driver for one of the top SS officers. It’s a wonderful read, if you have time to get to it (and haven’t already read it, of course).
Gorgeous and good for her to highlight something many people didn’t know…
I don’t think it’s rare to know that many American soldiers died during WWII.
I diento know there was a memorial chapel for those soldiers. Good to know it was a nice gesture.
She’s referring to the American Memorial in the UK @Ankhel, NOT the fact that over 400,000 died.
*(though I’d lay you odds that most Americans don’t know that either, or else they wouldn’t have had any part in helping Putin install a demented nazi lover who read the idiot’s cliff notes guide to ‘Mein Kampf,’ for light bedtime reading).
Some in this thread have already said they were unaware of the memorial. THE MEMORIAL, dear.
So WHYare you all up in this thread, snarking and making jokes about such a sobering topic?
Is your hate for Angelina Jolie that off the charts?
Yes, yes it is.
Oh for heavens sake, seriously, @Ankhel? It seems obvious to me @Maya was referring to the section of the church being specifically dedicated, not that soldiers actually died. Good grief
Oh, relax. It’s just gossip. There are memorials to soldiers from WWI and WWII all over the world. We’ve all seen them. No need for celebrities to bring attention (and photographers) to them. It’s a bit much, IMO.
@Ankhel – no one is forcing you to read about celebrities. You can easily just ignore it but you won’t because you need those very same celebrities to mock/critize…
I would rather there were more celebs like Angelina who brings awareness to worthy causes.
Oh an nyou must be a genius and superhuman to have known and seen “every” single war memorial in the world. Clap clap clap
How about you “relax,” Ankhel? She’s on location in the UK for several months filming and as a recent Same Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, she probably gets to tour buildings, landmarks and see and do things with a British dignitary or escort, that she may have not been able to do in years past.
It’s cool for her, and cool for all of those people who didn’t know about this or that landmark or monument and definitely helps tourism and America by taking eyes off of the demented Putin owned draft dodging clown and putting them on an honored admired American humanitarian honoring our war dead.
It’s a reminder to the world that we weren’t always so craven, fearful sick and OWNED by the gangster of the planet, former KGB Putin..that we were good and brave and honorable. See Angelina’s friend Louis Zamperini.
There’s no downside.
Really? Ankhel, you clearly have issues with her and are obviously very, very jealous of her. If you hate her so much and are so resentful of her, WHY torture yourself by reading articles of here on her? Unless you are simply being a troll. Either way, it is clear that you have an ugly soul and a very sad life.
While Brad is still the most interesting person, political leader and best father. The actions sort of speak for themselves louder than leaks to friendly gossip magazines….. I imagine Brad is now struggling to understand how to catch up, while for Angelina leading by example just comes naturaly.
😂 😂😂😂😂😂 so damn true
Um, what?
I love that AJ is active in her charity and good will. She sets a good example for what it means to be a decent human being.
The hand over the heart…is so actressy…let’s not forget celebs are always “on” and “messenging” us . I LOVE Meghan Markle but she has also used many actressy “my life is like a movie” gestures. They all do. Actors can act.
The Jolue Pitt nasty custody battle is hard on their images. TUrns out the AMAZING love they sold us is just like many other relationships and was not that special.
I always get a feeling she’s bored doing North American or British stuff…she never seems as engaged as when she visits a 3rd world country where she stands out as a Mama Theresa/savior which she loves and the image she has curated. I don’t doubt she cares and cares deeply but I also think she can be a difficult person to live with and love so her good actions balance her image.
I’m a little confused by the narrative here actually. Angelina received an honorary Damehood to the Order of St. Michael and St. George, as is mentioned in the HB article and not the Order of Bath.
She was also attending the 200th anniversary of the Order into which she was Dame’d and not the Installation Ceremony for the Order of Bath, which happened in late May. The ceremony she attended was at St. Paul’s and not Westminster.
How did the Order of Bath make it into the story?
She looks stunningly beautiful.
I’ve seen the memorial chapel also and it’s lovely.
PR
Sorry. Still robot-y. Still phony-looking.
Sorry, still robot-y, still phony looking. Shrug.
I agree that she used the opportunity for PR without saying that the only reason she was there was for PR. None of that detracts from her humanitarian good works, much of which is “bringing awareness” which requires the person doing so to have a high media presence. That is something that needs to be maintained, like it or not. On a purely practical level, it’s much like being a spokesperson for a brand, your usefulness to getting exposure for the brand is directly related to your visibility and notoriety.
However, surely it hasn’t escaped the notice of people here that when she receieved her honorary Damehood, she wore a pearl grey R&R outfit, paired with pearl grey shoes, very monochrome. For this outing she chose an outfit designed to remind people of that first. We all know that her usual attire is black sack dresses. Her outfit was calculated with a specific goal in mind. So what? Personally, if I were a public person who had recently taken a hammering in the press in regards to my personal/family life, I’d take the opportunity to give a big “eff you” if it presented itself too. And again, so what?
It’s entirely possible to kill two birds with one stone. I’m not really sure why that idea is offensive to some, Angelina is not a robot or an Ice Queen who is immune to normal feelings, just like the rest of the human race. I think that if you’re willing to accept that she cries in the shower, that she is moved to tears in the middle of devastation, it’s completely illogical to not accept that she also feels things for herself.
Fake
+1
Really? Is that all you’ve got?
See Kate, this is how to do a chic chignon without looking matronl- OH MY GOD THOSE HEELS!
LOVE this look. Not a fan of Angelina Jolie per se, but you can not deny she’s got style. And elegance in spades.