Up there with eating so much that you have to lie down for a while, and watching Hugh Grant in Love, Actually, the Queen’s speech is one of the oldest and most loved royal Christmas traditions (opens in new tab) across the world. And, with just one day to go until royal family fans gather to watch her annual delivery, Kensington Palace has shared a photo and sneak peek snippet of what we can expect from Her Majesty this year.
The Christmas Day speech from the British monarch (opens in new tab) is a long-standing tradition, first started by Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather King George V in 1932. 86 years later, for 2018, the Queen will use her Christmas Day speech to send a message of “peace on earth and goodwill to all.” Her Majesty says it’s a theme that is “never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone; it’s needed as much as ever”.
Tomorrow, at 3pm GMT, the 92-year-old Queen will tell viewers from Buckingham Palace’s white drawing room: “Even with the most deeply-held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.”
As well as the wider message, this year the Queen has also chosen to include a few smaller, sentimental hidden gems in her pre-recorded Christmas Day message (opens in new tab), which gives the whole thing a lovely, personal touch.
Along with her elegant silk and lace cocktail dress, made by senior designer Angela Kelly (opens in new tab), Queen Elizabeth II will wear a sentimental and special present given to her by husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen, who takes her choice of brooch very seriously (opens in new tab), selected the stunning gold, ruby and diamond brooch, which Prince Philip gave to her in 1966. It's one of her festive favorites, which she has previously worn for past Christmas speeches and royal appearances.
As well as the sweet tribute to her husband, Queen Elizabeth has also chosen to feature a rare family photograph on her bureau. The adorable black and white picture, taken in 1949, shows Her Majesty and Prince Philip as a young couple, holding a sixth-month-old Prince Charles (opens in new tab). Cute, right? It’s likely that the Queen chose this one as a subtle shout out to her son, the Prince of Wales, celebrating his 70th birthday (opens in new tab) just last month.
It's not Christmas until Queen Elizabeth II officially says so.
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