Queen Elizabeth II pays tribute to Prince Philip on Christmas Day

This news is a real shock. At Christmas, of all times, things get particularly tough for Queen Elizabeth II. According to reports, the Queen will have to do without her daughter Princess Anne this year. That's behind the shock separation.

Queen Elizabeth II pays tribute to Prince Philip on Christmas Day
Queen Elizabeth II Honors Prince Philip in Christmas Broadcast First Look

The Queen will give her first Christmas address after the death of her husband - and will be unusually personal. A photo of the recording already suggests that it will be emotional.

On Christmas Day in Great Britain, the Christmas address by Queen Elizabeth II is traditionally broadcast on television. In advance, Buckingham Palace has now published a first photo that shows the Queen during the speech that has already been recorded.

As usual, the 95-year-old sits at a table, a festively decorated Christmas tree can be seen in the background. Usually, the Queen is surrounded by her family when she speaks - in the form of framed photos that are spread out on the table. This year there is only one picture there.

Queen Elizabeth II separated from daughter Princess Anne at Christmas

On her first Christmas party without Prince Philip, the monarch will therefore have to do without her daughter, who is forced to isolate herself at home this weekend. As was confirmed on Wednesday, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (66) has contracted the rapidly spreading virus and therefore has to go into quarantine with Princess Anne in Gatcombe Park.

Queen's son-in-law Timothy Laurence has Corona - Princess Anne and husband have to be in quarantine

Her husband's infection is also likely to prevent Anne from celebrating the holiday season with her nine-month-old grandson Lucas Tindall for the first time. The disappointing news comes after the Queen makes the difficult decision to cancel the Royals' annual trip to Sandringham. Instead, Queen Elizabeth will stay in Windsor for the holidays, the "Mirror" reported recently.

Royals restrict contacts out of concern for Queen Elizabeth II

Senior royals agreed last week to cut all key contacts to ensure the Queen isn't alone at Christmas after, like so many others, forced to be apart from loved ones over the past year. The Queen spent Christmas 2020 with her husband Prince Philip, who died in April, at Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the pandemic after being evacuated from London at the start of the crisis.