Reconciliation was the major theme of Queen Elizabeth II’s Christmas Day message, in which she referenced the Scottish referendum and World War I, as well as Game of Thrones.
The Queen reflected on the Tower of London ceramic poppy installation — commemorating the lives lost during World War I, which started 100 years ago.
“For every poppy a life and a reminder of the grief of loved ones left behind,” she said in the speech, which was broadcast to the Commonwealth on television and radio.
The speech was pre-recorded in the State Dining Room at Buckingham Palace. The royals were spending Christmas Day together at Sandringham where they attended a service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
In her speech, she mentioned the Christmas truce of 1914 when British and German soldiers met in no-man’s land and exchanged gifts and took photos.
“Sometimes it seems that reconciliation stands little chance in the face of war and discord. But, as the Christmas truce a century ago reminds us, peace and goodwill have lasting power in the hearts of men and women,” she said.
Turning to current events, the Queen said she was “deeply touched” by the “selfless” aid workers who are currently working to treat the victims of the Ebola virus, often at “great personal risk”.
She also dispelled the notion that the Game of Thrones set visit was the highlight of her trip to Belfast in June.
“While my tour of the set of Game of Thrones may have gained most attention, my visit to the Crumlin Road Gaol will remain vividly in my mind.”
Last week, there was speculation that the Queen would use her Christmas broadcast to announce her abdication after betting firm Coral stopped allowing customers to place wagers following a flurry of activity around its likelihood.
“We always remind people about the Queen’s pledge to the nation and to the Commonwealth that she made on her 21st birthday in 1947, when she pledged that whether her life be long or short, her entire life would in the service of the nation,” Buckingham Palace said in response to the rumours.
Source: mashable.com