Her Majesty was an inspiration of selflessness and faith, whom I respected and loved. As a Christian, I was so proud to have such a monarch whenever we heard the Christian testimony of her Christmas messages. She was also an encouragement in academic work, which is not always heady. It can be a tedious slog, and knowing that our Head of State did her duty unflinchingly whether she liked it or not helped me in my much smaller arena to do mine.

I was privileged to be at the Patron’s Lunch on the Mall in 2016 and treasure the memory of seeing the Queen there.

Her Majesty will be a hard act to follow. Long live the King.

(Dr) Karen AttarCurator of Rare Books and University Art, Senate House Library