At the bottom of a typed message marking Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, The Queen wrote two words before her own signature: ‘Your Servant’.
She is the first British monarch to reach the milestone of 70 years on the throne.
And whether or not you believe in monarchy as a principle, almost everyone will agree that she has exercised her role with grace, dedication, and devotion.
She has shaped the evolution of an empire into a free association of nations and cultures in the Commonwealth.
She has watched changes in technology, society, education, work, leisure, and more.
She has led the country while leading her family through testing times as well as good ones, bereavements and broken relationships as well as weddings and new arrivals.
But what we mark this year is not just that she has done the job for such a long time (though it’s right to thank her for and celebrate that). The clue to her achievement is those two words in her own fountain-pen: ‘Your Servant.’
For all its privilege and status, she sees her role as one of serving others, especially those who give their own (often unsung) service to our communities.
Her understanding of service is inspired by the life and example of Jesus Christ who, in the words of the Bible, ‘came not to be served but to serve’, giving his life for others.
That’s why it’s entirely right not just to celebrate but to pray, in the words of our national anthem, God save the Queen.
Philip Hobday, Vicar of Earley St Peter’s, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Reading
