The royal preacher: when Billy Graham met the Queen

The young queen had been on the throne for just two years in 1956 when the charismatic US evangelical preacher came to town.

Billy Graham’s 12-week London “crusade” drew more than 2 million people to hear his fiery message of salvation.

Elizabeth, a devout Christian herself, was intrigued. There was no question that she could go to one of his rallies, so the preacher had to be brought to her for a private meeting.

At least, that’s how it was depicted in The Crown, the blockbuster television drama about Elizabeth’s reign, which has stretched the facts on occasion. “You do speak with such wonderful clarity and certainty,” Elizabeth, played by Claire Foy, tells Graham in the film.

The pair did meet. According to his son, Franklin, he preached several times in the Queen’s private chapel, including on Easter Sunday in 1995. He was given an honorary knighthood in 2001.

In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Graham wrote: “Good manners do not permit one to discuss the details of a private visit with Her Majesty, but I can say that I judge her to be a woman of rare modesty and character.”

Graham’s London crusade was considered a triumph beyond all expectation. The 11,000-seat Harringay Arena in north London was packed every night; 120,000 turned up to his finale at Wembley Stadium.

Over the following three decades, Graham returned to the UK seven times, each time preaching to capacity audiences.

Not everyone was enamoured. Michael Ramsey, then bishop of Durham and later archbishop of Canterbury, spoke of “the menace of fundamentalism” – although 18 years later he shared a platform with Graham.

This year, Franklin Graham is hoping to walk in his father’s footsteps by speaking at a Christian festival in Blackpool.

Franklin Graham is not without controversy himself – he has described Islam as “an evil and very wicked religion” and has equated the actions of extremist groups such as Islamic State with the faith. He has also spoken out against LGBT rights, saying Satan is behind same-sex marriage.

Several MPs, including a government minister, have urged the home secretary to consider refusing Franklin Graham entry to the UK, with some suggesting his comments contravene British laws on hate speech.