Queen's Christmas Day message: Monarch's tributes to Duke of Edinburgh in annual address

December 24, 2021

The Queen will deliver a particularly personal Christmas Day message this year, surrounded by reminders of her late husband, decorations made by school children and the sound of a choir.

It is the first Christmas address the 95-year-old monarch will make since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh in April.

In the message, the Queen can be seen wearing a chrysanthemum brooch that she wore during their honeymoon at Broadlands country house, Hampshire, in 1947.

She is sat next to a framed photo of her and Philip, which was taken at the same venue in 2007 to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.

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A photograph released by Buckingham Palace ahead of her address to the nation shows the Queen sat in front of an illuminated Christmas tree decorated with more than 100 white and gold stars, which were made by the children and staff of The Royal School, Windsor.

The children got to take the stars home after the message was recorded.

The festive address will be accompanied by a Christmas carol sung by the Singology Community Choir, a group of singers from London, filmed in St George's Hall, Windsor.

The National Anthem will be played by The Central Band of the Royal British Legion in celebration of the organisation's centenary.

The Queen is expected to be joined on Christmas Day at Windsor Castle by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, after she cancelled her customary trip to Sandringham as a "precautionary" measure amid rising coronavirus cases.

Last year, Her Majesty used her Christmas broadcast to deliver a message of hope.

She praised the "indomitable spirit" of those who had risen "magnificently" to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Queen's address to the nation will be broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day.

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