National service of thanksgiving

[1] However, in 1588, Queen Elizabeth I marked the defeat of the Spanish Armada by processing in a Roman-style chariot from Somerset House to Old St Paul's for a service of public thanksgiving.

As with the Armada thanksgiving, the service was preceded by a large cavalcade, which combined with the location at St Paul's, one of Europe's largest churches and England's first new-built Protestant cathedral, served to emphasise national power and unity.

The short length of time available for preparation was exacerbated by the fact that nobody in office could remember the previous event in Anne's reign, 74 years earlier, and a hasty search of the archives was ordered.

Initially, the prime minister, William Pitt the Elder, was opposed to a procession from St James's Palace for fear of anti-monarchist demonstrations, but on the day, an "immense" crowd cheered the king enthusiastically.

The four-hour service started with 5,000 children from London's charity schools, seated in specially built stands under the dome, singing Psalm 100; apparently an innovation suggested by Queen Charlotte.

The recovery of Edward from a bout of typhoid fever was seized upon by the prime minister, William Gladstone, as an opportunity to improve the image of the royal family, and the queen and prince reluctantly agreed to a thanksgiving service at St Paul's.

[9] The service and carriage procession from Buckingham Palace was a resounding success, to the surprise of the queen who wrote that she had been "deeply touched and gratified... by the immense enthusiasm and affection exhibited".

[20] Recent developments have included the active participation of faiths and beliefs other than Christianity; at the 2023 Honours of Scotland service in Edinburgh, blessings and statements of affirmation were made by representatives of Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Tibetan Buddhism and Humanism.