The Queen shares a moving New Year's message for 2021: 'We will meet again'

• The Queen shares a moving New Year's message of optimism as we move into 2021.
• Posting on Instagram, the monarch promised that 'better days will return' alongside a series of photographs from what's been a landmark year for the royal family. 
• In other royal news, Princess Diana angered The Queen by wearing this heirloom wrong, according to a royal expert. 

It's been a decidedly different Christmas for millions across the country – and the royal family are certainly no exception. 

The monarch swapped her traditionally large festive gathering at Sandringham, surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, for a quiet Christmas within a small bubble at Windsor Castle.

But on the eve of 2021, it was a message of hope and optimism issued by the Queen; as she shared a moving New Year's message on Instagram. 

Her Majesty posted the message alongside a series of photographs from the past year, including a candid snap from her 73rd wedding anniversary celebrations with the Duke of Edinburgh. 

Celebrated quietly back in November, The Queen and Prince Philip are pictured reading a card made by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

Another of the pictures showed the historic Round Tower at Windsor Castle covered in blue light to honour NHS staff for their tireless work during the pandemic.

The third and fourth photographs showed a billboard quoting the Queen's address to the nation back in April, and the monarch knighting Captain Tom Moore at Windsor Castle in July. 

'We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again,' Her Majesty movingly captioned the post. 

The palace signed off the message with: 'Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.' 

Unsurprisingly, the post garnered hundreds of thousands of likes on Instagram, and countless comments from royal fans wishing the monarch and Prince Philip a Happy New Year, too. 

'Wish You a better New Year with Health and hapinness! ❤❤' wrote one well wisher. 

While another said: 'And a very happy new year to your majesty my husband and I have also been married for 70yrs'.