Over the Christmas holiday, someone asked me if the Queen always pre-records her Christmas speech. The answer is yes – she always records her Christmas message days, even weeks, before Christmas. Of course, this year, the pre-recorded message has added more fuel to the Weekend at Bernie’s vibe of the British monarchy. Buckingham Palace released the annual pre-Christmas photo of QEII and a lot of people were talking about how she wasn’t wearing a bra, and how she doesn’t look particularly well. The photo was taken when the video was done, about two or three weeks before Christmas.
The Queen’s speech was mostly a tribute to her late husband, and the only photo on her desk was of her and Philip, from their 2007 diamond wedding anniversary. She also wore the same sapphire brooch she wore on her honeymoon in 1947. She referenced Philip multiple times in her speech too:
“But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world. His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him. But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”
[From People]
She also mentioned the births of her four new great-grandchildren this year, although she didn’t name them: August Brooksbank, Lucas Tindall, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor and Sienna Mapelli Mozzi. She didn’t mention Meghan and Harry by name or title, nor did she include any reference to Prince Andrew. She did name-check Charles, William, Camilla and Kate though, saying: “I am proud beyond words that [Philip’s] pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William – admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine – most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow.” How embarrassing – Kate and William barely did a g–damn thing at the Glasgow conference. Kate looked half in the bag for most of it.
Photo courtesy of Buckingham Palace/Avalon Red.
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