Archbishop praises Royal marriage

Dr Rowan Williams said the milestone was a symbol of the relationship between the people and monarch and was part of her "unqualified commitment" to every aspect of her reign.

The Royal couple, who celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary on Tuesday, were surrounded by their family, senior politicians past and present, and a 2,000-strong congregation as they listened to the sermon in Westminster Abbey - the venue for their wedding.

Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten wed on Thursday November 20 1947. The young bride and groom's ceremony provided the nation with a splash of colour in the tough post-war days.

The Archbishop told the congregation: "Every marriage is a public event, but some couples have to live more than others in the full light of publicity.

"We are probably more aware than ever these days of the pressures this brings. But it also means that we can give special thanks for the very public character of the witness and the sign offered to us by this marriage, and what it has meant to nation and Commonwealth over the decades.

"And part of what it has meant has had to do precisely with the sense of unqualified commitment that has been so characteristic of every aspect of this reign: the faithful and creative personal partnership at the centre of everything else has been a sign of creative faithfulness to a task, a vocation, the creative faithfulness that secures the trust, love and prayerful support of millions."

The lasting union has seen the monarch become the first British sovereign to celebrate a diamond wedding.

Among the congregation were senior Royals including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princes William and Harry, military chiefs of staff and some of the Queen's godchildren.

About 500 members of Royal Household staff - past and present - were also among the guests at the Abbey in central London, including some of the servants who have worked most closely with the monarch and her consort over the years.