Queen Elizabeth Delivers Heartfelt Christmas Speech: 'I Am Proud Beyond Words'

Queen Elizabeth gave a heartfelt speech in her annual Christmas address. This is the first year that the Queen is celebrating without Prince Philip, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 99.

Queen Elizabeth began her speech with an excerpt of a speech she gave to Prince Philip on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.

She began by saying, “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,” she continued. “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,” she continued. “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, decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favorite film where we already know the ending, it's no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.”

She added, “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.”

“And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.”

“They teach us all a lesson,” she continued. “Just as the Christmas story does, that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential.”

“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,” she added.

“And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness,” she continued. “A chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last seventy years - social, scientific, and cultural - and also to look ahead with confidence.”

She concluded her speech by saying, “I wish you all a very happy Christmas.”

The 9-minute broadcast can be seen below.