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Queen acknowledges ‘bumpy’ year for

nation in Christmas message
1 hour ago Share

STEVE PARSONS/PA MEDIA

Queen Elizabeth II recorded her annual Christmas message from Windsor Castle in Berkshire

The Queen will use her Christmas Day message to acknowledge that 2019
has been "quite bumpy".

She will say the path is never "smooth" but "small steps" can heal divisions.

It comes after a year of intense political debate over Brexit, as well as a number of
personal events affecting the Royal Family.

Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, is spending a fourth night in a London
hospital after being admitted in relation to a "pre-existing condition".

Buckingham Palace said the duke had gone to the King Edward VII hospital on his
doctor's advice for "observation and treatment".

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Prince Charles told reporters on Monday: "He's being looked after very well in
hospital. At the moment that's all we know."

In January, the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a car crash while driving
near the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Prince Philip escaped uninjured,
but two women required hospital treatment.

In September, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly revealed their

struggles under the media spotlight during their tour of southern Africa.
 DOMINIC LIPINSKI/PA MEDIA

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first child, Archie, in May

Last month, the Duke of York withdrew from public life after a BBC interview
about his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August.

The Queen, 93, recorded her annual message, to be broadcast on BBC One at
15:00 GMT on Christmas Day, before Prince Philip was admitted to hospital.

She refers to the life of Jesus and the importance of reconciliation, saying "small
steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-
seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding".

"The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt
quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference."
Analysis: A coded message?

It has been a year which, at times, may have felt "quite bumpy", so the Queen will
say in her Christmas broadcast.

It is a choice of words which will inevitably prompt speculation about what it is that
she's referring to.

She does not offer any clarification herself, though the remark is made in the
context of overcoming what she calls "long-held differences" and how "small steps
taken in faith and in hope can overcome deep-seated divisions".
The obvious interpretation is that this is the Queen's - as ever - coded message to
the country to try to move on from the divisions of the Brexit debate, but the
reference to a "bumpy" year may also be taken to refer to events within her own
family after a year which has seen the Duke of Edinburgh's car accident, the Duke
and Duchess of Sussex complaining about the difficulties of being in the public eye
and the controversies around Prince Andrew.

The Queen will be hoping that for Christmas she will at least be reunited with her
husband, and his family will be hoping he's well enough today to join them at
Sandringham.

The head of state - who is publicly neutral on political matters - will also use her
message to highlight the 75th anniversary of the World War Two D-Day landings,
and how former "sworn enemies" joined together in friendly commemorations to
mark the milestone this year.

In June, the UK hosted an event in Portsmouth commemorating the 75th

anniversary of D-Day and attended by world leaders including US President
Donald Trump, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Germany's Chancellor
Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
 REUTERS

World leaders gather at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day

The Queen said: "By being willing to put past differences behind us and move
forward together, we honour the freedom and democracy once won for us at so
great a cost."

The broadcast was produced by the BBC and recorded in the green drawing room
of Windsor Castle after the general election.

The Queen wore a royal blue cashmere dress by Angela Kelly, and the sapphire
and diamond Prince Albert brooch, a present from Albert to Queen Victoria on the
eve of their wedding in 1840.

She is filmed sitting at a desk featuring photographs of her family, including one of
the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and a black-and-white image of the
Queen's father, King George VI.

There is also a photograph of of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their
children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - perched on and
around a motorbike and sidecar - an image used for the couple's Christmas card.
 @QUEENSCOMTRUST
Report

On Monday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed their festive greeting via
the Queen's Commonwealth Trust Twitter account.

It features a photograph of Harry and Meghan with their seven-month-old son

Archie crawling towards the camera, and a message reading: "Merry Christmas
and a happy new year... from our family to yours".

The card was emailed to friends and colleagues on Monday, with hard copies sent
to family.

The couple are currently spending time in Canada while taking a festive break
from royal duties with their son, who was born in May.
 NEWS SYNDICATION

Prince Andrew has faced criticism over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein

Prince Andrew's appearance on BBC Newsnight last month was one of the
year's biggest news stories involving the monarchy.

In the interview, Prince Andrew defended his relationship with Epstein, who took
his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The prince was heavily criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein's
victims and little remorse over his friendship with the disgraced US financier.

He later issued a statement saying he continued to "unequivocally regret my ill-

judged association with Jeffrey Epstein" and he deeply sympathised with everyone
who was affected.

Related Topics
UK Royal Family Queen Elizabeth II Christmas Christianity

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