YouTube/The British Monarchy
One can imagine that Commonwealth citizens gathered round their tellies at 3pm GMT to her the Queen give her annual Christmas broadcast. My nana, who came down with a terrible sinus infection (she’s fine, thank you for asking), was able to catch the whole thing before popping round one’s house for a cranberry-vodka cocktail.
Early on in this Christmas season, Sainsbury’s produced a wonderful reenactment of the Christmas truce of 1914. According to the tale, soldiers on opposing sides dropped their arms for one day, trading tobacco, helping bury each other’s dead and celebrating peace during the first major war of the 20th century.
“Reconciliation is the peaceful end of conflict,” Her Majesty said, touching on the subject of the glorious poppy field on display at the Tower of London. Though the Queen was not alive during World World I, she and her family were greatly affected by the second world war; Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were sent to Windsor Castle while their parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, dealt with the conflict head-on in London.
Among the highlights of the Queen’s broadcast:
“Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.”
“Peace and goodwill have lasting power in the hearts of men and women.”
“Even in the unlikeliest of places, hope can still be found.”
Did you enjoy the Queen’s broadcast? They don’t call her “One-Take Windsor” for nufffin.’
Earlier today, the Queen and her family attended a Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene church on Her Majesty’s Sandringham estate.
Did Prince George attend? Afraid not, though I’m sure would have made it a colorful affair.
The little prince “was really, really well and said that they’ve left him at the nursery because it’s a little bit cold,” Prince William told well-wishers, adding that he and Catherine were “looking forward to going back to see what destruction he’d caused,” according to the Daily Mail.
“He [Prince William] wished us a happy Christmas and asked if we were warm enough and he said he was very grateful for all the flowers,” one person said. “He said his grandmother would be very happy with them. He was very, very sweet and asked if we’d had a nice day.”
It’s reported that William and Catherine broke with tradition – Christmas lunch with the royal family – in order to spend the day with the Middleton family at their home, Anmer Hall.
Happy Christmas to all!
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