Queen Elizabeth II gave her annual Christmas address, commonly known as “The Queen’s Speech”. In her 2014 broadcast Her Majesty recalls the Christmas truce of 1914 as she speaks of reconciliation and forgiveness.

The Queen’s Speech 2014

She also spoke about visiting the Tower poppies memorial, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, which marked the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. She said of her visit, “The ceramic poppies at the Tower of London drew millions, and the only possible reaction to walking among them was silence.”

Stunned into silence, Her Majesty visits the Tower Poppies

Causing quite the flutter of Tweets, Her Majesty gave a shout out to “Game of Thrones” whose set she visited during her trip to Ireland although she says the most significant stop on that tour was her visit to former Crumlin Road prison remarking that,“What was once a prison during the troubles is now a place of hope and fresh purpose; a reminder of what is possible when people reach out to one another…”

The Queen visits Game of Thrones set

Her Majesty visits former Crumlin Road prison

The Queen recorded her Christmas message sitting next to an antique decorative brass Christmas Tin sent to the soldiers in 1914 during The Great War and photographs of her grandparents King George V and Queen Mary.   Over 426,000 of these tins were distributed to those serving on Christmas Day 1914. The tins were filled with various items including tobacco, confectionery, spices, pencils, a Christmas card and a picture of the princess.  The idea was the initiative of Princess Mary, the 17-year-old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary.

Princess Mary’s gift to the soldiers serving during Christmas 2014

The Queen’s Speech, which also paid tribute to medics and aid workers fighting the Ebola epidemic as well as spoke about the Scottish referendum, can be seen here in its entirety:

Merry Christmas from Lady Anglophile