Queen Elizabeth reflects on the past year’s tragedies and family in her Christmas message to be broadcast Sunday.
In excerpts released by Buckingham Palace, the Queen mentions terror attacks, the Grenfell Tower fire and hurricanes in the Caribbean as events that rocked the U.K. and abroad.
“This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks,” she says.
The Queen says it was her privilege to visit young survivors of the attack on a Manchester concert hall as they were recovering from the blast which claimed 22 lives.
“I describe that hospital visit as a ‘privilege’ because the patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience,” she says.
She also joked about her long-time marriage to Prince Philip.
“I don’t know that anyone had invented the term ‘platinum’ for a seventieth wedding anniversary when I was born, you weren’t expected to be around that long,” she said.
The Queen also said she looks forward to spending Christmas with family, and that she and Philip look forward to welcoming new members to the family next year, a possible reference to the recent engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the baby expected in the spring by Prince William and his wife, Kate.