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Bishop's tribute to HM The Queen on the occasion of her 80th birthday

21 April 2006

Rt Revd Richard Harries, The Bishop of Oxford, yesterday paid tribute in the House of Lords to HM The Queen on the occasion of her 80th birthday, on behalf of the Lords Spiritual:

"The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, from these Benches, I am also glad to support the Motion, to pay tribute to Her Majesty and to wish her a happy birthday, while reaffirming wholeheartedly what has been said from all sides of the House.

"In a period of truly unprecedented change, Her Majesty has been an example of continuity and, more than that, of constancy and stability. Those values have been shown in her to have real solidity and substance, for behind them lies the example of her late father, His Majesty King George VI. Like him, she has carried out her responsibilities and duties in a way that has been utterly straightforward and totally exemplary. In a world dominated by the transient and the fashionable, where so-called celebrities come and go overnight, she has shown us what is of lasting and abiding value.

"Finally, it is perhaps appropriate for us on these Benches to pay particular tribute to the special relationship that Her Majesty has with the Church of England, not in any narrow or partisan way, but as a symbol for the spiritual dimension of the life of the nation as a whole and of all people in it—we are all valuable, and we are responsible to and for one another. We are all, ultimately, accountable. We too wish her a happy birthday, and may she long reign over us."

 

You can find a selection of Bible readings, collects and other special prayers to help celebrate the Queen's birthday here.