THE Queen has recorded a message to declare: “Easter is not cancelled.”

The audio recording, her first devoted entirely to the Easter message, was released on Saturday in order not to take attention away from the messages given by church leaders on Easter Day, it is understood. It was recorded at Windsor, with the sound engineer in the next room.

In the recording, she describes a typical Easter Eve service: “As darkness falls on the Saturday before Easter Day, many Christians would normally light candles together. In church, one light would pass to another, spreading slowly and then more rapidly as more candles are lit. It’s a way of showing how the good news of Christ’s resurrection has been passed on from the first Easter by every generation until now.

“This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe. But Easter isn’t cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever. The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose, and we can all take heart from this.

“We know that coronavirus will not overcome us. As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering with grief — light and life are greater. May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future.”

The Queen ends by wishing “everyone of all faiths and denominations a blessed Easter”.

In a special address to the nation, broadcast last Sunday evening, the Queen said that humanity “will succeed” in the fight against the coronavirus.