The Queen paid tribute to her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in an emotional Christmas speech Saturday, saying that despite there being “one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas.”
The Queen’s comments came on a difficult Christmas Day in the U.K., as COVID once again disrupted traditions and forced many people to spend the day apart from their loved ones.
In her speech, the queen said: “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.
“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.”
A photograph of the couple on her desk, taken in 2007, showed the queen wearing the same sapphire brooch she was wearing on Saturday.
The queen also talked about the joy of “happy traditions” such as “singing of carols—as long as the tune is well known—decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favorite film where we already know the ending.”
She also paid tribute to her son and grandson saying: “[Philip] was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment, and I am proud beyond words that his 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.”
The queen was joined at Windsor by Charles and Camilla, and Edward and Sophie, who were seen attending a morning church service at St. George’s Chapel, which is on the grounds of the castle.
