25
Dec
Essence of Christmas
Queen Elizabeth II delivered her 69th Christmas address to the United Kingdom this afternoon.
One of the most popular and eagerly-anticipated British traditions of Christmas Day, the Queen's royal message was aired on BBC One, ITV, Sky One, and Sky News at 3 PM GMT. It was also available to listeners on BBC Radio 4. Additionally, the audience could watch her address online through the Royal Family's YouTube channel and on the RF Facebook page.
Queen Elizabeth II recorded her annual Christmas speech in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle on 23 December 2021. The photograph on the desk was of the Queen and Prince Philip, taken in 2007 at Broadlands Country House in Hampshire when the couple celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. The Queen wore the Sapphire Chrysanthemum Brooch, worn on her honeymoon and 60th wedding anniversary.
Since it was first televised by the BBC, 3 PM has always been the scheduled time for the Queen’s royal message. The Queen’s Christmas speeches have not been broadcast live since 1960 when Buckingham Palace began to have them pre-recorded.
Today the Queen delivered her most personal Christmas speech ever, which was eight months after the death of her soulmate of 73 years, the Duke of Edinburgh on 9 April 2021. "Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why," she said in her Christmas address. While the Queen spends her first Christmas without Prince Philip, she set a good example of dignity on how to face such an unbearable loss: "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".
The Queen made another personal nod in her speech as she mentioned the birth of four great-grandchildren this year: Princess Eugenie's son August in February, Zara Tindall's son Lucas in March, Prince Harry's daughter Lilibeth in June, and Princess Beatrice's daughter Sienna in September. "While Covid again means we can't celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. Be it the singing of carols (as long as the tune is well known); decorating the tree; giving and receiving presents; or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it's no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines. We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times. I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness".
The symbolic parallel between the story of the birth of Christ on 25 December and the birth of any other child teaches us all a lesson that "there is a new dawn with endless potential", the Queen concluded in her Christmas message this year.
BRAMS Institute wishes a very happy Christmas to HM Queen Elizabeth II, the entire British Royal Family, and the rest of the world as we all belong to this one global village of ours. May God bless and keep us all safe through these challenging times.
