Queen Elizabeth: Showing Humility and Respect Toward All People
By Dudley Delffs
During the year of her Diamond Jubilee, 2012, which celebrated her sixty years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth participated in numerous events, parties, dedications, and receptions, both public and private, to mark the momentous occasion.
In the midst of this Jubilee year celebration, a label that she herself noted was drawn from the Old Testament practice (Leviticus 25:1–4; 8–10), she gave her first major public address at Lambeth Palace, official residence of the archbishop of Canterbury, located just a few hundred yards across the Thames from the Palace of Westminster, where both Houses of Parliament meet.
There Her Majesty inspired an audience of leaders from Britain’s nine leading religions, including Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. Her theme fit the occasion, offering a message deeply personal, explicitly faith-based, and clearly inclusive. She stressed the Church of England’s responsibility and privilege to cooperate with such a rich multiethnic and multifaith society.
“The Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country,” she said before going on to emphasize “the responsibilities we have beyond ourselves.” The Queen concluded, “This occasion is thus an opportunity to reflect on the importance of faith in creating and sustaining communities all over the United Kingdom. Faith plays a key role in the identity of many millions of people, providing not only a system of belief but also a sense of belonging.”
While over-the-top celebrations would culminate a few months later during a four-day Diamond Jubilee festival in June, Her Majesty chose to begin her milestone celebration in her role as Head of the Church of England. Her humble call to action illuminated the occasion, not her own achievements or those of the Church. Well aware of the intense public scrutiny she has received her entire life, she prioritized her point by not making the event about herself.
Queen Elizabeth subtly reminded British subjects, along with well-wishers around the world, of the secret to her success: her Christian beliefs and personal faith. The archbishop at that time, Dr. Rowan Williams, pointed this out by light-heartedly commenting on the way Queen Elizabeth has shown that “being religious is not eccentric or abnormal.” The audience laughed and nodded their assent.
Several weeks later, just as Jubilee events began to increase by the end of March, Queen Elizabeth chose another sacred event to showcase the humility and respect for others that have become hallmarks of her reign. At St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, Her Majesty held a memorial service to honor the ten-year anniversary of the deaths of both her mother and her sister.
With Elizabeth by her side, the Queen Mother had died in 2002, just shy of her 102nd birthday, passing away peacefully in her sleep, likely from a cold that had lingered for several months. Seven weeks prior, Princess Margaret had died in the hospital at the age of seventy-one, after suffering numerous strokes and additional health problems for several years. So close together, the losses compounded one another, reminding Her Majesty of the fragility of life and the importance of family. Therefore, Queen Elizabeth’s holding a joint service commemorating the decade since their passing was not surprising.
What some might have found unexpected, however, was the guest list for this small, private occasion. Among the dukes and duchesses and members of the Royal Family, including Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, those in attendance by invitation of Her Majesty included “hairdressers, manicurists, maids, and horse trainers,” along with William Shawcross, the Queen Mum’s biographer, and playwright Tom Stoppard and actress Felicity Kendal, close friends of Princess Margaret.
The mood of the service, while appropriately respectful, was uplifting and celebratory. The Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Conner, officiated and began by noting, “Each of us here this morning will cherish some special personal memories, memories that awaken once again sentiments of affection and respect.” He went on to praise the two departed royal women for their “faithfulness to the nation” and the ways they “significantly enriched” the lives of everyone they touched.
The anniversary could easily have gone unnoticed by the public, and the service could have remained smaller and more intimate with only a few immediate family members. But Queen Elizabeth clearly wanted to remember and to celebrate the lives of these two beloved, powerful women. Her Majesty not only honored them that day, but she also invited those individuals closest to her mother and her sister, the members of staff and providers of personal service who had grown close to the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret over the years. There was no sense of rank and station; all were united by their shared losses.
After the memorial service, Queen Elizabeth hosted a reception at Windsor Castle for all guests and, according to those in attendance, seemed to especially enjoy the gathering. Her good mood was not dampened when a guest questioned the absence of William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were on a ski holiday in Switzerland. Unflappable, the Queen replied with a hint of a smile that she had encouraged her grandson, who had just returned from duty as a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot in the Falklands, to enjoy the reunion with his bride of less than a year. “You have something more important than this,” Her Majesty had reportedly insisted.
As William’s Queen, she could easily have required his attendance. Instead, she focused on making the event a true celebration of life, not a solemn, requisite obligation. Consistently, Her Majesty has put people above protocol as much as possible, yet one more way she has reinvented the monarchy through her humanity and spirituality.
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Taken from The Faith of Queen Elizabeth: The Poise, Grace, and Quiet Strength Behind the Crown by Dudley Delffs. Click here to learn more about this book.
Discover the inspiring spiritual legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Sharing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of this notoriously private monarch, The Faith of Queen Elizabeth features intimate stories and inspiring reflections on the personal faith behind the Crown.
An icon, matriarch, reformer, and the longest-reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II intrigued millions around the world with her royal heritage, inspirational character, and profound faith, especially as depicted in award-winning films such as The Queen and the wildly popular Netflix series The Crown.
But throughout all her trials and triumphs, Her Majesty credited her personal faith in Jesus Christ as the steadying anchor to her life and reign. In The Faith of Queen Elizabeth, Dudley Delffs unpacks the secret behind Her Majesty's personal devotion and public service, giving you a fuller, richer picture of the woman who led a nation with unwavering faith and resolve, teaching us how we can all:
- Leave a legacy of faith for future generations
- Answer the call to serve
- Align our behavior with our beliefs
With testimonies from historic figures such as Winston Churchill, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and Margaret Thatcher, this magnificent tribute explores the faith of the world's most famous Queen—and the King she served.
Dudley J. Delffs, Ph.D., is an award-winning writer of both fiction and non-fiction. A lifelong Anglophile and descendant of King James I, Dudley lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife. His most recent book is The Faith of Dolly Parton (Zondervan, 2018). Follow along with Dudley at dudleydelffs.com.
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