The passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has been cause for reflection on the extraordinary impact she had on the lives of so many. For 70 years and 214 days she ruled as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
At the age of 18 during World War II, she demanded and was eventually granted permission to join the war effort in the Women’s Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS). As heir to the throne there was strong opposition to her intentions but even at a young age the future Queen demonstrated her deep personal commitment to serving others and a sense of duty that would become a defining characteristic of her life.
Her Majesty would go on to bring stability and confidence during often troubled times. Never shying from the public, she was always a figure of stoic calm, even amidst times of personal tragedy; and as a patron of over 600 organizations she raised over £1.4 Billion to support their causes. She worked almost tirelessly in her role and was still performing public duties just two days before her death.
The Governor General of Australia remembered her with these words:
“When I reflect on my own memories – she was my Queen for my whole life – I think of Her Majesty’s dignity and her compassion. Her dedication and tireless work ethic. And her selflessness and unwavering commitment to the people whom she served. To us.”
Her Majesty took her Coronation Oath very seriously and demonstrated not only conviction towards serving others, but also to her role as Defender of the Faith. In her Christmas Message to the Commonwealth in 2000 she said:
“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.”
As Her Majesty lies in state before her funeral service on Monday 19 we take this time to reflect on the lessons we can learn from her incredible life and how we too can better serve others, and use the teachings of Christ as a framework for our own lives.
