UK: Queen to offer 'personal' Christmas Day message after Prince Philip's death

Queen Elizabeth II is expected to deliver a ‘particularly personal’ Christmas Day message this year, local media reported. The Queen will be spending her first Christmas without Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April. Buckingham Palace has released a picture of the British monarch recording her speech, AP reported.

The picture showed the Queen sitting behind a desk alongside a framed picture of her and her late husband and a Christmas tree in the background. The special picture which was present in the Queen's image released by Buckingham Palace was taken in 2007 at Broadlands to mark their Diamond wedding anniversary. In her televised Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth II shares her views on the holiday’s meaning and challenges faced by the United Kingdom. 

Queen Elizabeth's 2020 Christmas message

While recording the message, Queen Elizabeth wore a red coloured wool shift dress by British designer Angela Kelly. She also wore a sapphire chrysanthemum brooch which she wore for a photocall on her honeymoon in 1947, Independent reported. Reportedly, she had worn the same brooch for their diamond wedding anniversary celebrations.

In her last year’s message, Queen Elizabeth II had shared the message of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. She had appreciated the efforts of scientists, emergency workers and others who had risen to the challenges of the pandemic. Last year, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip enjoyed Christmas Day at Windsor Castle.

In the wake of the Omicron variant scare in the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II cancelled her plans to spend Christmas in Sandringham estate. She has decided to spend the holidays at Windsor Castle, AP reported citing the Palace. Members of the royal family might be visiting the Queen over the Christmas period with measures taken against the COVID-19 pandemic. Since being hospitalised for a night in October, Queen Elizabeth has reduced her work and travel.

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)