In her annual Christmas Day message, Queen Elizabeth II paid tribute to her late husband, Prince Philip.
The 99-year-old also acknowledged the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which she claimed had dampened the festivities.
"Christmas can be difficult for people who have lost loved ones, even if it is a season of joy and good cheer for many. This year, in particular, I can see why "In a pre-recorded Christmas address from Windsor Castle's White Drawing Room, the Queen stated.
"However, in the months since my beloved Philip's passing, the warmth and affection of the countless tributes to his life and work - from all over the country – has brought me enormous consolation."
The Queen's speech began with footage of herself and Philip on their golden wedding anniversary in 1997, as well as a voiceover excerpt from the Queen's speech on their golden wedding anniversary in 1997.
In the foreground, a framed portrait of the pair arm in arm sat.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom is enjoying Christmas at a smaller scale for the second year in a row. More than 11.95 million COVID-19 infections have been reported in the country, with 148,324 deaths.
Queen Elizabeth II urged the United Kingdom to strive to celebrate Christmas despite the hardships in her speech.
"While Covid means we won't be able to celebrate as we would want, we will still be able to enjoy the many wonderful traditions. It's no surprise that families love their Christmas traditions, whether it's singing songs (as long as the tune is well known), decorating the tree, giving and getting gifts, or watching a favourite film where we already know the finale "she stated
In the United Kingdom, the broadcast Christmas Day message is an annual tradition.
It is an occasion for the monarch to reflect on the significance of the holiday as well as the country's challenges.
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