Queen offers personal message of hope in her Christmas Day address

The Queen has delivered a heartfelt message of hope to the country in herChristmas address, praising the “indomitable spirit” of those who have risen“magnificently” to the challenges of the pandemic.

In her annual televisedspeech, the Queen paid tribute to the “kindness of strangers” whose actionshave inspired all and, sounding a positive note, said even the “darkestnights” have a promise of a “new dawn”.

The message, recorded before BorisJohnson effectively cancelled Christmas for millions, saw the Queen sympathisewith those unable to see family and friends and who just wanted a “simple hugor a squeeze of the hand” as a festive present.

Sounding resolute, she toldthe nation “but we need life to go on”, after describing how major religiousfestivals for many faiths had been disrupted this year.