Queen Elizabeth thinks the church has provided hope amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 95-year-old monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and she believes that people have been able to lean on their religious beliefs to help them through the health crisis.

In a statement delivered by Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest son, at the national assembly of the Church of England, the monarch said: "Of course, in our richly diverse modern society, the well-being of the nation depends on the contribution of people of all faiths, and of none.

"But for people of faith, the last few years have been particularly hard, with unprecedented restrictions in accessing the comfort and reassurance of public worship."

The Queen also praised the church for adapting amid the pandemic, with services moving online as places of worship were ordered to close.

The monarch - who wasn't able to attend the event in person, after suffering a back sprain - said: "For many, it has been a time of anxiety, of grief, and of weariness. Yet the Gospel has brought hope, as it has done throughout the ages; and the church has adapted and continued its ministry, often in new ways, such as digital forms of worship."

During her statement, the Queen also addressed the absence of her husband Prince Philip, who passed away in April at the age of 99.

She said: "It is hard to believe that it is over 50 years since Prince Philip and I attended the very first meeting of the General Synod.

"None of us can slow the passage of time, and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings."