"In 1953, millions across Britain and the world were glued to their TV sets, watching the first televised coronation of a British monarch. What they saw was a deeply religious, medieval ritual in Westminster Abbey, presided over by the Church of England. Since then, Elizabeth II's reign has been profoundly shaped by her Christian faith, expressed in her coronation vows and in her seventy years as Queen, marked this year in her Platinum Jubilee. -- "Like her husband, Prince Philip, the Queen's personal faith can be described as her 'strength and stay'. But what official part should the Christian religion play in the monarchy of a nation becoming increasingly secular, yet also diverse in its religious beliefs? In their coronation oaths, British monarchs pledge to preserve 'the true Protestant religion' and the Church of England. Will this be appropriate for the head of state in contemporary Britain? -- 'This book reveals how deeply the monarchy is entwined with Christianity and explores how that plays out in our national life. It charts the connectionfrom earliest times, to the Reformation, the Civil War, and the wholesome family monarchy of Victoria and her successors. It examines the crises of abdication and royal divorce and asks what the future holds for the current Prince of Wales, heir not only to a kingdom but the title once bestowed by a pope: Defender of the Faith - and predicts what sort of coronation a twenty-first century king will require. When the time comes, will we reinvent the ancient ceremony to appeal to multicultural Britain, especially our young people, or embrace the tradition of our Christian heritage?"