Elizabeth II might not have been the most powerful of her predecessors, but she was certainly the most steadfast. She left an indelible mark on her era, even if it does not bear her name.
It’s been nearly 250 years since we Americans separated from our cousins across the pond, but no matter how many centuries have passed, we are still captivated by the British Royal Family’s weddings and funerals. And so it was this year, when we witnessed the ancient and solemn funeral of Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried into St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for her Committal Service. Winston Churchill escorts Queen Elizabeth to her car after dining at No. 10 Downing Street in April 1955. Queen Elizabeth II with the Duke of Edinburgh on a Royal visit to the then colony of Uganda in 1954.
In all of this, she was, as Pope Benedict XVI said, “an inspiring example of dedication to duty and a commitment to maintaining the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, in keeping with a noble vision of the role of a Christian monarch.” She took that role seriously because she took her faith seriously. She was a Christian monarch crowned by an archbishop and blessed with holy oil, just as her ancestor Edward the Confessor—saint and monarch—was 1,500 years ago.