UK Queen's Christmas speech set to be particularly personal

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II is expected to connection a peculiarly idiosyncratic Christmas Day connection to the federation this twelvemonth aft Buckingham Palace released a photograph of the monarch signaling the code alongside a representation of her and her husband, who died earlier this year.

The representation provided by the palace showed the queen successful the White Drawing Room astatine Windsor Castle, with a framed photograph of Elizabeth and Prince Philip limb successful limb successful the foreground. In some photos, she is wearing the aforesaid sapphire chrysanthemum brooch.

This Christmas marks the archetypal since the decease of Prince Philip, who died successful April, 2 months shy of his 100th birthday. Coronavirus restrictions successful spot astatine the clip of his ceremonial meant that Elizabeth sat unsocial - a poignant awesome of however she would walk her beingness going guardant arsenic a widow.

The televised Christmas Day connection is simply a contented successful Britain, a infinitesimal erstwhile the monarch reflects connected the holiday’s meaning and the challenges facing the country. While signaling this year’s message, Elizabeth wore an embossed wool displacement formal successful Christmas reddish by British decorator Angela Kelly. An illuminated Christmas histrion glowed down her.

Last year, the queen utilized the accidental to convey a connection of anticipation during the depths of the coronavirus pandemic and to praise the “indomitable spirit” of scientists, exigency workers and others who had risen to the challenges created by COVID-19.