Queen Elizabeth II - a life of faith

It is with both sadness and gratitude that we mark the passing of our longest serving monarch.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second was a ‘Defender of the Faith’, in the quiet, understated approach she took to so much of her life.

For an individual whose personal views were known truly about so little, and political views barely at all, her lifelong and deep faith was obvious – from her annual Christmas Day speeches (one of the few speeches she was known to draft herself), to her constant weekly attendance at church.

Her Majesty took her Coronation Oath as seriously as any monarch could. Of its three parts (the other two relating to governing, law, justice and mercy) one is dedicated solely to maintaining ‘the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel’, establishing the Sovereign as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Her Majesty regularly opened General Synod and often referenced her sincere respect for the other faiths practised throughout the Commonwealth.

Above all else, Queen Elizabeth II’s life was one of service – to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and to God.

Above all else, Queen Elizabeth II’s life was one of service – to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and to God. The way in which Her Majesty chose to live her life exemplified Christian service to a higher calling and a greater good. Of course, service and duty are typically Royal attributes, but it is worth reflecting on where these stem from, in a markedly a profound manner in the case of Queen Elizabeth. There is probably no more transparent a source than the radio speech Her Majesty made on the occasion of her 21st birthday. It gives a clear sense of the purpose she saw for her life and was extremely prescient for the course it would take.

The life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II saw much turbulence and change. She provided a national – and international – anchor throughout, and one can only guess at the inner resilience to which she had to quietly and firmly grasp to do so. From Her Majesty’s own speeches and writings, there can be no doubt that much of this has stemmed from her deep-rooted personal faith.

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To have negotiated the traumas and complications of the Second World War, the premature death of a beloved parent and resultant dramatic change in the course of her own life and that of her family, the break-up of the British Empire, the Cold War, significant rifts and turbulence within her own family life (notably 1992 which she described as her own “annus horribilis’) – not to mention technological advancements which would have been unimaginable in 1926 and which have had such impact – takes the sort of fortitude and strength which many lack. Increasingly, since 2000, the Queen used her Christmas Broadcast to talk about the importance of her faith.

In 2016, during her Christmas Broadcast, the Queen said:

"Billions of people now follow Christ's teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ's example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe."

Her Majesty always replied to letters which asked for her prayers or bestowed prayers upon her, with assurance of the former and gratitude for the latter. She was schooled in religious instruction as a child by the Archbishop of Canterbury and enjoyed stimulating and inspiring discourse and direction from the various Deans of Windsor, in particular. She is reported to have appreciated ‘uncomplicated church’ best of all – BCP (Book of Common Prayer) Mattins being her service of choice.

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service …. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”

Whilst she herself admitted that she had made mistakes in her life, the language often used to describe Queen Elizabeth II is also the language of faith – constant, faithful, unchanging, loyal, steadfast. It is no coincidence that this language is echoed when defining our Queen, and the King of Heaven to whom she committed lifelong service and homage. She will be remembered as a truly Christian Sovereign who has lived her life according to Kingdom values and who has achieved her life’s aim. To quote Her Majesty’s speech made on the occasion of her 21st birthday:

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service …. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”

Many around the world are immensely grateful that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s reign was so long, fruitful and abundantly faithful.