‘I UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN'

In a deeply personal speech, the Queen empathises with her grieving subjects, saying how much she still misses ‘irrepressible’ Prince Philip

- Mike Parker

In her Christmas Day address to the nation, the Queen movingly spoke about her late husband as she empathised with families missing loved ones. But she also gave hope for the future. Here is the Queen’s message, which she penned herself, in full...

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.

We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas.

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.