Nick Fawcett (devotional and reflective writer)

Lord God,
as part of a nation in mourning,
we bring you our sorrow at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II;
our sincere and profound sense of loss.
But we bring you also,
and especially,
our thanksgiving for her extraordinary life
and inspirational example.

We thank you for the innumerable qualities that marked her out as someone special:
her wisdom,
integrity,
faith,
and humility;
her unfailing sense of duty;
her exemplary service to this country over so many years.

We thank you that she was such a person
that even opponents of the monarchy regarded her with respect and affection;
that she bore the heavy responsibilities of queenship with courage,
honesty,
cheerfulness,
and unflagging commitment.

We thank you for all she has meant not just here,
but throughout the Commonwealth,
and across the world;
for the way she has captured the hearts
and earned the admiration
of people everywhere,
irrespective of creed, colour or culture.

And we thank you also for everything she has meant to her family and friends,
those closest and dearest to her –
those with whom she could relax
and for a moment be herself,
untrammelled by matters of state.

Comfort and support them at this time –
children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and wider family,
and especially Charles as he takes on the daunting mantle of kingship.

Comfort and support us,
as we come to terms with the passing not just of a queen,
but of someone who has represented continuity and stability,
in a sea of change.

Comfort and support all who grieve at the loss of a unique woman,
a model public figure,
an unforgettable monarch,
a much-loved ruler who will be part of our history for ever,
and for whom, truly, we are thankful.
Amen.