A Tribute to Her Majesty The Queen

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. “

In 1947, on her 21^st birthday, Her Majesty The Queen made what she described as a solemn vow.  “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be dedicated to your service.”

We are fortunate indeed that her life was very long, marked by her 70-year reign and 73-year marriage to The Duke of Edinburgh; the longest reigning monarch in British history.

During that reign the world has gone through unimaginable change with the advance of technology, the growth of globalisation and geo-political change through periods of peace and conflict.  The times moved and the Queen moved with the times, overseeing with Prince Phillip the modernisation of the monarchy and the establishment of the Commonwealth. 

Throughout, Her Majesty served as a constant and reassuring presence and only those in their mid-seventies and older, have a memory of a monarch before her.  It will therefore take some time for us all to adjust to her passing as the nation enters a period of mourning, reflection and remembrance before her state funeral.  It is also a time when many here will feel a sense of loss, worry and anxiety, and please know support is available to any in need.

Let us always remember that as well as our monarch she was also a wife, mother and grandmother, and our hearts go out to The Royal Family and all who mourn her as a relative and friend.

During her reign, the Queen showed enormous wisdom and had an astonishing grasp of history, politics and human life.  It is impossible to imagine any monarch in future having a total of 15 Prime Ministers during their reign.

She demonstrated great poise on public occasions and was comfortable with pomp and ceremony, but she was also a private person, devoted to her family and friends and with great passions for the countryside, farming and animals. 

Known for her wonderful smile and sense of humour, she was at ease with grand ceremony but also adept at putting people at their ease. She radiated compassion and was joyful in times of happiness while steadfast in times of sadness and uncertainty.  She had emotion, and showed it on occasion, but even in the most difficult of times she remained calm and steady, taking challenges head on and remaining unflinching in her resolve.

She was also kind, compassionate and thoughtful, often in unseen and unsung ways.  Just this morning on Farming Today a farmer whose land borders Windsor recalled how, during the foot-and-mouth crisis when many herds of cattle had to be destroyed, she donated animals from her stocks so that others could rebuild.

In many photos and images, the Queen can be seen smiling with a wonderful, and often mischievous twinkle in her eyes.  Her sense of humour was well-known as was her judgement of the moment. Who will forget the video of her taking tea with Paddington during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations or memorably skydiving into the opening ceremony of the London Olympics with James Bond in 2012?

Behind, or more accurately beneath, the crown she resonated a strong sense of humility, underpinned by her deep Christian faith which sustained her throughout her life.  That was evident earlier this year in these extracts from the statement she made to mark her Platinum Jubilee:

"While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

This anniversary also affords me a time to reflect on the goodwill shown to me by people of all nationalities, faiths and ages in this country and around the world over these years. I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me.

And so as I look forward to continuing to serve you with all my heart, I hope this Jubilee will bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities - after some difficult times for so many of us - in order to enjoy the celebrations and to reflect on the positive developments in our day-to-day lives that have so happily coincided with my reign.

Your Servant,

Elizabeth R”

Note well that it is those themes of humility, gratitude and service, which were the hallmarks of her life, which shine through those words.  Just three days ago I spoke in this Chapel of the importance of servant leadership and we could not have a higher example of that to hold in our hearts and minds.

It is right that we should be sad and join with the nation and Commonwealth in the period of mourning.  We should also be glad and full of thanksgiving for her life, steadfastness and example of service. Following the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001, and remembering those mourning loved ones they had lost, the Queen quoted the following words, 

“Grief is the price we play for love.”

So let us be sad, let us mourn, but let us also be thankful; thankful for Her Majesty’s long reign, her leadership of the nation and Commonwealth, her positive influence around the world and her example to us. 

In this school, as we move towards our 1,400^th anniversary, we are familiar with the sweep of history and how the past informs the present and future.  Her Majesty now passes into immortality and will therefore be with us always.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.