Family are keeping Queen ‘well occupied’

THE Queen has joked about being a grandmother in her Christmas Day message, saying family events like weddings and births have kept her “well occupied” this year.

But she also highlighted the darker side of life, how religious faith which can lead people to do good in the service of others can also “fall victim to tribalism”.

And she thanked members of the armed forces, many of whom will be deployed overseas at Christmas, for their efforts.

The Queen has had a memorable 2018, with two of her grandchildren – the Duke of Cambridge and Zara Tindall – welcoming new additions to their families.

Another grandson, Prince Harry, married Meghan Markle and they became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announcing soon afterwards that were expecting their first child, due in the spring.

Granddaughter Princess Eugenie wed long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank.

Bringing a touch of humour to her televised address, the Queen said: “Closer to home, it’s been a busy year for my family, with two weddings and two babies and another child expected soon.

“It helps to keep a grandmother well occupied.”

She also described the importance of having loved ones around her: “Through the many changes I have seen over the years, faith, family and friendship have been not only a constant for me but a source of personal comfort and reassurance.”

And she offered words of comfort for those missing relatives or friends: “At Christmas, we become keenly aware of loved ones who have died, whatever the circumstances.

“But, of course, we would not grieve if we did not love.”

The Queen also remembered her father, George VI, reflecting on his service with the Royal Navy during the First World War and the role he played in the early years of the Commonwealth.

Now aged 92, the Queen’s reign as monarch has lasted 66 years and she has been married to the Duke of Edinburgh for more than seven decades.

Sitting at a desk and with a Christmas tree in the background, she said: “Some cultures believe a long life brings wisdom. I’d like to think so.

“Perhaps part of that wisdom is to recognise some of life’s baffling paradoxes, such as the way human beings have a huge propensity for good, and yet a capacity for evil.

“Even the power of faith, which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice, can fall victim to tribalism.”

Footage of Harry and Meghan’s glittering wedding was featured in the broadcast alongside Eugenie and Jack’s nuptials, and also the moments when the couples kissed on the steps of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The duke and duchess’s carriage ride was also screened.

The first of the two royal babies to arrive this year was Louis, and there was a clip of his proud parents, William and Kate, presenting him to the world outside the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where he was born on April 23.

And in June, Zara and husband Mike Tindall, a former England rugby player, welcomed their second child – a daughter called Lena.