The Queen’s brooch for Christmas speech has poignant nod to Prince Philip -‘heartbreaking’
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The Queen has released a picture of her upcoming Christmas speech where she is sat behind a desk in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.
Typically, the monarch usually displays pictures of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for her speech.
Last year, Her Majesty displayed a single image of Prince Philip after the pair spent nine months in lockdown together.
In a similar way, for 2021, the monarch’s desk features just a single framed photograph as a poignant reminder of her husband of 73 years, whom she famously described as “her strength and stay”.
The photograph is particularly tender as this year marks the first Christmas alone for the Queen, following the death of Prince Philip in April.
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One royal fan on Twitter, Kathleen Briggs said: “I feel for Her Majesty… Absolutely heartbreaking.”
The image, taken in 2007 at Broadlands country house, Hampshire, shows the couple together.
In the image for her upcoming televised address, the Queen is wearing a festive red wool dress in front of an illuminated Christmas tree.
The garment, designed by British designer Angela Kelly, is accessorised with a sapphire chrysanthemum brooch which she wore in both the honeymoon and anniversary photograph.
The brooch, which features sapphires and diamonds set in platinum to form a chrysanthemum design, has been in the Queen’s collection for decades.
It’s a rare piece that dates from before her wedding.
She received it in 1946 when she launched an oil tanker, appropriately named the British Princess.
From the start, Elizabeth chose the brooch for important events.
In April 1948, she wore the brooch in Grosvenor Square for the unveiling of a memorial to American President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
A few weeks later, she wore the brooch during an important visit to Paris.
More specifically, for a speech that warned against the dangers of nationalism at the Galliera Museum.
She has also worn the brooch for important family occasions, including multiple family portrait sessions. In October 1950, she wore the brooch for an early portrait with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and baby Princess Anne.
Despite the Queen’s jewellery collection expanding exponentially in the early 1950s, following her accession and the death of Queen Mary, this brooch remained a frequently worn piece.
Perhaps most famously, though, the then-Princess Elizabeth wore the brooch for a series of portraits taken with Prince Philip at Broadlands during their honeymoon in 1947. The Queen wore the brooch again in November 2007 as she and Philip recreated a famous image from the series at Broadlands in honour of their 60th wedding anniversary.
Now as the Queen is set to mark her first Christmas without the Duke of Edinburgh, it appears as though she is wearing the brooch as a reminder of her husband who is no longer with her.
The Queen’s speech will be broadcast to the nation as usual at 3pm on Christmas Day. She will be joined at Windsor Castle this year by her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
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