Monkton mourns the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

It is with great sadness that I write regarding the news of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She was not only Her Majesty, 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; she has been a shining example of service to the world. By turns diplomat, figurehead, matriarch and leader, her contribution to the world during her life, and especially during her 70 year reign, has been extraordinary.

Over the coming days while the UK is in mourning, we will seek to commemorate the Queen’s life and achievements and celebrate a remarkable life well lived.

Queen Elizabeth was well known to be a woman of faith. Of all the things that will be said about her and of all the things she said, I am most touched by her foreword to the book, ‘The Servant Queen and the King she serves’, published for her 90th birthday. She writes of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness and quotes Minnie Louise Haskins poem, ‘God Knows’:

‘I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,

“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”

And he replied, “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.

That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.” ‘

The poem continues,

‘So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.’

Her majesty served not only the United Kingdom but also the great Kingdom of heaven for her entire life. I have no doubt, therefore, that in her final moments, she found the Hand of God and trod gladly and confidently into the night.