The Queen held the titles Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith, but she had a personal and lifelong Christian faith that she often shared publicly. Here are some of the things she said about it over the years.

21st birthday address, 1947

"I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share it."

Christmas message 1981

"Christ not only revealed to us the truth in his teachings. He lived by what he believed and gave us the strength to try to do the same – and, finally, on the cross, he showed the supreme example of physical and moral courage."

Christmas message 2002

"I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God!"

Foreword to The Servant Queen and the King She Serves, 2016

"I have been – and remain – very grateful to you for your prayers and to God for his steadfast love. I have indeed seen his faithfulness."

Christmas message 2020

"The teachings of Christ have served as my inner light, as has the sense of purpose we can find in coming together to worship."

Christmas message 2021

"...that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential. It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing: simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus — a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith. His birth marked a new beginning. As the carol says, 'The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.'"

Message to the Lambeth Conference, 2022

"Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope."