The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, issues a message to the diocese with a prayer for our King.

As we continue to mourn our beloved Queen, we give thanks today for the accession to the throne of His Majesty King Charles III.

The world and our nation face multiple challenges. We give thanks to God that we have a new King who will bring stability, wisdom and deep Christian faith to his unique role. King Charles has prepared through the whole of his life for the office he will now fulfil.

In his moving address to the nation on 9 September, the King pledged himself afresh to the service of the nation and commonwealth. In turn, we pledge to him our continued loyalty and our prayers for our King, the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Royal Family in all of their responsibilities.

– The Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford

A prayer for King Charles

Almighty God, we give you thanks for Charles your servant and our King, for his devotion to his family, nation and Commonwealth and to the Earth, our fragile home. We thank you for his faith in you and his love for all peoples and for his call to be our sovereign in such a time as this.

Bless and protect Charles in all the years to come, grant him long to reign over us and give him gifts of wisdom and discernment as together we face the opportunities and challenges of our age. Bless Camilla the Queen Consort, William, Prince of Wales, and all the Royal Family in this time of mourning and of change.

May we all abide in your love, draw strength from the deep wells of Christian hope and dedicate ourselves afresh to God’s kingdom of justice and peace.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.