Although her position means she’s famous for being non-political, that hasn’t stopped several anti-equality opponents from writing to the Queen in the hope she will refuse to give the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill its eventual Royal Assent.

“A Christian Concern” – made up of four business directors on the Isle of Man – sent the letter to the 87-year-old monarch last month but have yet to receive a response.

The Isle of Man Examiner reports that the letter cites at the Queen’s 1952 Coronation of how she swore an oath to maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel to the utmost of her power.

The letter claims the same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales “obviously and incontrovertibly defies the unchangeable law of God as established since the dawn of creation and re-affirmed by Christ Jesus in Mark 10:6-8”.

It continues: “If enacted, the effects of this measure upon the nation will be nothing short of catastrophic; but of even greater importance is that it will set the nation on a direct collision course with the Courts of Heaven, with all the attendant consequences.”

The letter is signed by four business directors, Peter Murcott, Ian Davidson, Christopher James Keig and Michael Justice.

Mr Murcott, a Methodist preacher and former law lecturer, told the Examiner: “This bill doesn’t affect the Isle of Man but once they get legislation in place in the UK, then the next step is for pressure in the Isle of Man.”

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill returns to the House of Lords next week for its report stage.

Detailed line by line examination of the bill will continue by peers. Third reading takes place on 15 July.

The last time a monarch refused to give Royal Assent to a bill was in 1708.

However, a bill was dropped in 1800 after George III made it clear he would not give his assent.

In May, the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man Allan Bell criticised a landlord for preventing a lesbian couple from renting a flat due to their sexuality.

The following month, Mr Bell promised to address the “distressing” lack of legal safeguards for same-sex couples on the island.