Britain praying for Queen Elizabeth, Archbishop of Canterbury says
Queen Elizabeth II is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Archbishop of Canterbury has extended the support of the Church of England to Queen Elizabeth II as doctors say they are "concerned" for her health.
Archbishop Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, made the statement Thursday after reports surfaced that the monarch was in ill health.
"My prayers, and the prayers of people across the Church of England and the nation, are with Her Majesty The Queen today," Welby said.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives to view a display of artifacts from Halcyon Days to commemorate the company's 70th anniversary in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle on March 23, 2022. - The Queen viewed a selection of hand-decorated archive enamelware and fine bone china from Halcyon Days, including their earliest designs from the 1950s. (Photo by STEVE PARSONS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The archbishop added, "May God’s presence strengthen and comfort Her Majesty, her family, and those who are caring for her at Balmoral."
Queen Elizabeth's doctors "are concerned for Her Majesty’s health," Buckingham Palace announced Thursday, adding that they recommended she stay under medical supervision.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Queen remains comfortable" at Balmoral Castle, the palace added.
The queen, 96, celebrated her platinum jubilee earlier this year.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby leads the opening service of the 15th Lambeth Conference at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent on July 31, 2022. (Gareth Fuller/PA Images via Getty Images)
The Archbishop of Canterbury is typically responsible for the spiritual needs of the royal family, and typically performs rites and sacraments necessary for the king or queen. These services can include baptisms, coronations, marriages, and funeral .
Queen Elizabeth II, like all British monarchs since country split from the Roman Catholic Church, is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Despite the rapid secularization of the United Kingdom and the rapid decrease in Church of England attendance, Queen Elizabeth has been a vocally Christian monarch. The queen has referenced her faith as a source of strength and courage for decades.
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The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury talks at a debate on social inequality at the annual CBI conference on November 18, 2019 in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Welby succeeded Rowan Williams — who served in the office for a decade — in 2015.
Anglicans, whose roots are in the missionary work of the Church of England, are the third-largest grouping of Christians in the world, behind Roman Catholics and the Orthodox.