The Queen pays tribute to her ‘beloved’ Philip and his ‘familiar laugh’ in emotional Christmas Day speech

Her Majesty the Queen opened up in what is being described as her “most personal message" ever as she marks the first Christmas without her husband, Prince Philip. 

Royal fans waited with baited breath for the Queen to deliver her Christmas Day speech as she marked the first festive period without her husband, Prince Philip.

And, as expected the 95-year-old Monarch—who today spent her second Christmas away from Sandringham as the covid-19 pandemic continues to cause chaos across the country—opened with an emotional tribute to the late Prince Philip.

Dressed in red, featuring a sapphire brooch and alongside a photograph of her and Prince Philip, she said, “Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why.

“But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world."

And the narrative didn’t steer far from Prince Philip and the deep impact his absence has had on the family this year.

“His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible,” she reflected.

“That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him. But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings – and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”

With the pandemic rumbling on, Her Majesty also went on to address the covid-19 crisis and how things are still slightly different for so many this Christmas.

The Queen added, “While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. 

“Be it the singing of carols – as long as the tune is well known – decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.”

This year the Queen made the decision to remain at Windsor Castle amid the escalating rates of the Omicron variant of covid-19. She was joined by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Princess Anne was unable to attend due to her husband testing positive for covid.

Fans have labelled the speech, "The Queen’s most personal Christmas message ever as she declares of Philip, 'I miss him.'"