'Tinged with sadness': Queen Elizabeth pays respect to COVID-19 victims in Christmas message
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'Of course for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness; some mourning the loss of those dear to them, and others missing friends and family members distanced for safety,' the Queen said
On the occasion of Christmas, Queen Elizabeth delivered Christmas greetings to the nation, sending a message of hope and caution in the year of the coronavirus pandemic.
During her pre-recorded address to the nation, the Queen acknowledged that many families would be missing some members on the Christmas family dinner tables.
"Of course for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness; some mourning the loss of those dear to them, and others missing friends and family members distanced for safety when all they really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand," she said.
The 94-year-old monarch offered her prayers and respects to the families who have suffered immensely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "If you are among them, you are not alone. And let me assure you of my thoughts and prayers," she said.
This year her traditional recorded message comes from Windsor Castle, where she is living a lockdown life with the 99-year-old Prince Philip, instead of celebrating with the extended family at the Sandringham estate in eastern England.
She also talked about the importance and effects of lockdown and social distancing. She talked about how, this year, all majority of people want for Christmas this year is a simple hug.
Thanking the frontline workers for their services in this pandemic, she said, "Remarkably, a year that has necessarily kept people apart has in many ways brought us closer."
"In the United Kingdom and around the world, people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year and I`m so proud and moved by this quiet indomitable spirit," she continued.