As the nation mourns the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, we give thanks to God for her life of service, and recall some of her most powerful statements about her Christian faith.

The longest-reigning monarch in British history was born in 1926 and succeeded to the throne in 1952. She celebrated her Platinum Jubilee – 70 years as Monarch – earlier this year.

Queen Elizabeth II died yesterday afternoon aged 96.

I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service HM The Queen, 1947

‘Selfless service’

In a statement, Director of The Christian Institute, Colin Hart paid tribute to Her Majesty’s devotion to faith and duty.

“We knew The Queen had to die one day, yet it was a huge shock when it came. She led a life of selfless service to the nation. We give thanks to God for her. Her Majesty was a force for stability in our society and had the respect of young and old, Christian, non-Christian and those of no faith at all.

“She routinely spoke of her own faith. In 1952, in her first Christmas broadcast, she asked the nation to pray ‘that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you, all the days of my life’.

“God answered that prayer.”

Uniqueness of Christ

Her Majesty delivered messages to the nation on almost every Christmas Day throughout her reign.

In 2011 she declared: “Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves—from our recklessness or our greed.

“God sent into the world a unique person — neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.”

God sent into the world a unique person — neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive. HM The Queen, 2011

‘I believe his message’

Seven years later, she told 6.4 million viewers: “The Christmas story retains its appeal since it doesn’t provide theoretical explanations for the puzzles of Life. Instead it’s about the birth of a child and the hope that birth 2000 years ago brought to the world.

I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel. HM The Queen, Christmas 2002

“Only a few people acknowledged Jesus when he was born. Now billions follow him. I believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date.

“It can be heeded by everyone. It’s needed as much as ever.”

Gospel of hope

However, such statements were not limited to Christmas. Her Majesty delivered her first Easter message in 2020, saying: “The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose and we can all take heart from this”.

I have been – and remain – very grateful to you for your prayers and to God for his steadfast love. I have indeed seen his faithfulness. Writing on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

And only last year, in her role as head of the Church of England, The Queen spoke of the unchanging Gospel of Christ.

She acknowledged that, for many, the last few years had been “a time of anxiety, of grief, and of weariness”, but that in that time, “the Gospel has brought hope, as it has done throughout the ages”.