The direction of her life changed irrevocably on 11th December 1936 when her uncle, King Edward VII, after reigning for less than a year, dramatically abdicated the throne, and her father became King George VI (Queen Victoria said that no king should rule as Albert and, by doing so, eclipse "her" Albert). Elizabeth was now the heir presumptive. Although the events surrounding the abdication were traumatic, our nation ought to thank God that Elizabeth was now first in line to the throne.
Following her marriage to Philip Mountbatten, Elizabeth became a mother to two children, Charles and Anne. While touring Kenya, her life changed again when news reached them of her father’s death on 6th February 1952. Elizabeth was now Queen with the grand and long title:
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
From her coronation on 2nd June 1953 until the present time, Elizabeth has reigned as Queen, and she is now the longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom, celebrating seventy years of faithful service. She enjoyed a long marriage to Philip, which came to an end when he died in 2021 at the age of ninety-nine, and has a large extended family of four children, eight grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.
Both the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth have changed in many ways during her reign. With huge advances in communication and media technology, the Royal Family has increasingly been brought into the light of intense scrutiny and criticism. During all the challenges that she has faced in her family and nation, Queen Elizabeth II has retained her integrity, dignity and unfailing commitment to her vows taken on the day of her coronation.
On that day she was asked, “Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel?” Amongst other vows she made, her answer to that question was, “All this I promise to do . . . the things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God”.
As the Defender of the Faith she has a particular responsibility to the Church of England, but it is evident from her Christmas broadcasts to the nation that faith in God is a personal reality for her. As the United Kingdom has become more and more secular over the period of her reign, and particularly in the last twenty years, the Queen has correspondingly spoken more and more of the central place in her life taken by the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some excerpts from her broadcasts :
2000
“To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”
In 2012 she concluded her Christmas broadcast by praying for her people and inviting a practical, servant-hearted response to Jesus Christ’s message of love:
“This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son ‘to serve, not to be served’. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ. It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others. The carol, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ ends by asking a question of all of us who know the Christmas story, of how God gave himself to us in humble service:
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man, I would do my part . . .
The carol gives the answer, 'Yet what I can I give him – give my heart'.”
2014
“For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people, of whatever faith or none.”
2016
“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.”
On 16th December 2021 her message to the Opening Session of the 11th General Synod of the Church of England was delivered by her son Edward, Duke of Wessex.
“None of us can slow the passage of time; and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings.”
Throughout her long life, Christ’s example and teaching have been seen acted out in the dutiful and faithful life of our servant-hearted Queen. It seems that her prayer from the start of her reign has been answered.
“Pray for me . . . 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.”
For seventy years the Queen has served her God and her country as Sovereign. The overwhelming affection that her people have for her speaks of the respect in which she is held after such a long reign. God has blessed us with a monarch who believes the Bible to be the Word of God and the Lord Jesus to be her Saviour.
May God bless our Queen.
