The Archbishop of Canterbury today delivered a sermon in praise of the Queen on her 90th birthday, describing her as a servant of God who has been an "instrument of God's peace".

"No-one at the Queen's birth knew for what she was destined. Today we recognise that God knew," Archbishop Welby  told more than 2,000 people at the national service of thanksgiving for the Queen at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

"We are here today to worship the God who made our Queen, and to celebrate the way in which God's hand has been so uniquely evident upon her life."

In life there is much to fear, the Archbishop said. "Fear makes us want to flee, from God, from one another, often even from ourselves. But over and over again that fear is turned into wonder as we see that God is before it, behind it and beyond it."

In the 63 years since the Coronation and the 90 years since her birth, Archbishop Welby continued, there has been much to fear, both at times of personal challenge and of national crisis.

But now, everyone can look back on the Queen's 90 years of life "with deep wonder and profound gratitude."

The Archbishop said: "Through war and hardship, through turmoil and change, we have been fearfully and wonderfully sustained."

He said nothing was outside God's undertanding, beyond God's grace or too broken for God's transformation. The nation rejoiced for how the Queen had given the life God had given her, over in service to the nation. "You have been an instrument of God's peace, and through you God has so often turned fear into wonder - and joy."

The Queen was ten minutes late to St Paul's because of a traffic incident at Embankment .

The Archbishop spoke after Prime Minister David Cameron read from Luke's Gospel: "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Almost every member of the Royal Family was at St Paul's, along with the Cabinet, all surviving past Prime Ministers, leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, members of the Royal household, military leaders from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, senior civil servants, leading diplomats, governors of the realms and faith leaders, the latter invited by St Paul's. The Queen was welcomed on the steps of St Paul's by party from all three services including from ships such as HMS Queen Elizabeth, regiments and air stations. 

There were also hundreds of people from across the country whose names are not well-known outside their communities but who were invited because of their contribution to the "common good" of society through their work or volunteering with the NHS, charitable bodies and other organisations.

Among those reading the prayers were Hilda Price, a retired teacher from Carmarthen in Wales, who was born on the same day as the Queen, 21 April 1926.

Churches throughout Europe from Helsinki to Toulouse and across the country are holding special services to mark the 90th birthday of the Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Over the weekend cathedrals from the Isle of Man to Portsmouth will hold services and ancient bells will ring out across cities.

Rural and town churches from Cornwall to Northumberland will also hold special community events from church tower teddy bear parachutes to hog roasts in church gardens.

Bishop of Worcester Dr John Inge said: "Her Majesty The Queen is a most wonderful example of a life completely devoted to Christian service. The Church, this nation, the Commonwealth and the world have benefitted immeasurably from all she has given during her long reign."

Sir Tony Baldry, chair of the Church Buildings Council, said: "Church buildings are at the heart of our villages, towns and cities. I am delighted that so many churches have flung open their doors and hope that this will be a spur to future community outreach. The Church of England has 16,000 church buildings and so the opportunity is there for every city, town and village to use their churches to celebrate both national and local milestones."