A new addition to the family for Christmas speech
12/13/2024 05:00 AM
As we dive into different Royal Christmas Broadcasts each day in December, we are able to see both personal and public moments marked for the sovereign. Queen Elizabeth II marked moments of family joy and public loss in 2015.
The spring of 2015 had brought great family joy with the arrival of Princess Charlotte. Her proud great grandmother reflected on that in her Christmas speech, noting that ”One of the joys of living a long life is watching one's children, then grandchildren, then great grandchildren, help decorate the Christmas tree. And this year my family has a new member to join in the fun!”
The year was also one of international loss, with several major terrorist attacks including one in Paris. Queen Elizabeth II marked that, too, saying ”…as we think of those who are far away or no longer with us. Many people say the first Christmas after losing a loved one is particularly hard…”
Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth II chose to open and close her Christmas broadcast that year with some personal family holiday history, revealing ”The popularity of a tree at Christmas is due in part to my great-great grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. After this touching picture was published, many families wanted a Christmas tree of their own, and the custom soon spread.The customary decorations have changed little in the years since that picture of Victoria and Albert’s tree first appeared, although of course electric lights have replaced the candles.”
It was a fitting close to a speech that touched on how everyone loves someone and how family is, for many, the greatest joy of all.
The post A new addition to the family for Christmas speech appeared first on Royal Central.
