Former royal butler Grant Harrold has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II often attended private church services away from the public eye, describing her faith as deeply personal. Speaking to OK! magazine, Harrold recalled being surprised to learn that on Christmas morning the Queen would attend a smaller service before the main one at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. 'It was never a secret, but she didn’t always feel the need to shout about her faith,' he said.
The late monarch, who died in September 2022 aged 96, was a devoted Christian who regularly attended Sunday services at Crathie Kirk Church near Balmoral Castle. Reverend Kenneth Mackenzie, minister of the Parish of Braemar and Crathie since 2005, noted that apart from during the Covid pandemic, the Queen missed only two Sundays in 17 years. He described her life as 'shaped by faith, infused with grace, and characterised by selfless service'.
Historian and royal author Tessa Dunlop believes the Queen was of the 'last generation' born with unwavering faith in God. She said the Queen's faith was a source of comfort during difficult times, including her 'annus horribilis' in 1992, when Windsor Castle was ravaged by fire and three of her children's marriages broke down. The Queen also turned to her faith following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.
In her 2014 Christmas broadcast, the Queen described Jesus Christ as 'an inspiration and an anchor' in her life. During the Covid pandemic in 2020, she recorded an Easter message from Windsor Castle, saying, 'We know that Coronavirus will not overcome us. As dark as death can be, light and life are greater.' The royal family’s website notes that she 'respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good in the world'.
