The Queen will pay tribute to late husband Prince Philip - in a heartfelt Christmas Day speech

It will be the Queen's first Christmas without her husband after the Duke of Edinburgh passed away in April this year

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(Image credit: Getty)

The Queen will pay tribute to her late husband, Prince Philip, as she addresses the nation tomorrowon Christmas day.


In her pre-recorded Christmas Day speech, the Queen will pay a moving tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, as she wears the sapphire brooch worn on their honeymoon in 1947. 

The televised address will also feature a framed photograph of her and Philip, poignantly placed in front of her, as she delivers her annual speech to the nation.

The Queen's speech 2021

(Image credit: Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty Images)

The Queen's Christmas speech, last year, was one of the most viewed TV programmes on the day and this year's address is set to break records too - as she is thought to deliver her most personal speech yet.

The Queen, who is thought to be spending Christmas Day with Prince Charles and Camilla, will also review the year, as she delivers hope to those who have also lost loved ones.

In a photo released by Buckingham Palace, the Queen, who is sat in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, also wears a red dress for her annual speech—along with the sapphire chrysanthemum brooch. The pretty brooch was also worn on her diamond wedding anniversary.

It has also been confirmed that a Westminster Abbey service will take place in the spring—to celebrate Prince Philip's life. It is thought that the whole royal family will be invited, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle —who released the first photo of their daughter, Lilibet, this week - via their official Christmas card.

This week it was also announced, by Clarence House, after the Queen cancelled a big Christmas family celebration at Sandringham, that Her Majesty will be joined by Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles on Saturday, for her first festive holiday without Prince Philip. 

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of the Cornwall will drive to Windsor Castle from their London residence to keep the 95-year-old monarch company. The news comes after it was revealed that Princess Anne will miss the Queen's Christmas because her husband Sir Timothy Lawrence has tested positive for Covid-19. 

Sarah Finley

Sarah is a freelance journalist - writing about the royals and celebrities for Woman & Home, fitness and beauty for the Evening Standard and how the world of work has changed due to the pandemic for the BBC. 

 

She also covers a variety of other subjects and loves interviewing leaders and innovators in the beauty, travel and wellness worlds for numerous UK and overseas publications. 

 

As a journalist, she has written thousands of profile pieces - interviewing CEOs, real-life case studies and celebrities - interviewing everyone from Emma Bunton to the founder of Headspace.