“The Coptic Orthodox Church headed by Pope Tawadros II mourns Queen Elizabeth of Britain who left our mortal world after sitting on the throne of Great Britain as a queen for more than 70 years, leaving behind a great legacy of noble humanitarian work and huge support to human rights and religious freedom,” the church said.

“We particularly remember her relationship with our Coptic Church and her support to its existence in Britain to serve the church’s children living there and this support was manifested in decorating Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox in the UK with the Order of the British Empire (OBE),” the Egyptian church said, referring to when Bishop Angaelos received an OBE for services to international religious freedom in 2015.

The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church concluded its statement asking for a heavenly condolence to her family and all the members of the British Royal Family as well as to the British people and the peoples of the Commonwealth countries.

Bishop Angaelos has already issued a statement mourning the late queen.

“Over the course of her reign, Her Majesty used her position for good, serving the nation through tireless visits to various charities and organisations that serve the wider community and the most vulnerable,” Angaelos said, adding that during her reign, Queen Elizabeth II – who was also the head of Church of England – received Pope Shenounda III, the late head of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Pope Tawadros II, the current head.

“I am personally thankful for the interaction I have had with her majesty for almost three decades, and have the deepest admiration and respect for the person of her majesty, the queen,” he added.

Bishop Angaelos is the first Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, having served there as a general bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK since 1999.

In May 2018, Bishop Angaelos gave a prayer at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and American actor Meghan Markle.

Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longest serving monarch passed away Thursday afternoon at the age of 96 at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle after reigning for 70 years, according to Buckingham Palace.

Her eldest son, the 73-year-old former Prince of Wales Charles, was immediately declared King Charles III by newly appointed British Prime Minister Liz Truss.

In November 2021, the then-prince visited Egypt along with his wife Camilla Parker and met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in a two day visit to the country that was the first since 2006.