Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh Current Events 1: December 2002-April 2004

[lynn]

Suddenly, she looks so old here. Hope the surgery goes well...

 

[timtonruben359]

The Palace says the operation was a complete sucess. The Queen also had a few legions removed from her face, which doctors state weren't a health risk (meaning there were no traces of cancer) but did cause the Queen some minor discomfort.

She is expected to be released from hospital early Saturday.

 

[paulette]

I felt relief after reading the news!!!

It's so sad to know that some royals are sick and some of their sickness are serious.. Some are the head of states.. But I cross my fingers that they would be alright.

 

[zhontella]

The Queen has aged considerably during the last couple years. I wonder why no one is helping her down the steps, right after knee surgery?

 

[Alexandria]

Yes, I wondered that, too, zhontella. Why one of the nurses or hospital help staff didn't help the Queen down the steps and into her car.

Or maybe the Queen wanted to do it on her own?

 

[timtonruben359]

Originally posted by zhontella@Dec 14th, 2003 - 1:31 pm
The Queen has aged considerably during the last couple years. I wonder why no one is helping her down the steps, right after knee surgery?

I think the Queen looks pretty good for a woman pushing 80, but yes but I think these last few years have been less then kind to her. The death of her sister and mother, the Paul Burrell trial and book, rumours of Diana's death being more then an accident, and Prince Phillip reportedly slowing lossing his health would be enough to add of few wrinkles and grey hairs.

If you look at a couple of the pictures above, it's clear that one of the nurses is helping the Queen down the stairs. But knowing the Queen she was probably determined to get down those stairs by herself.

 

[Alexandria]

Ibl - Queen Elizabeth Ii Leaving King Edward Vii Hospital After Her Operation, London, Britain - 13 Dec 2003

 

[kittencrews]

I wonder if it hurt her to smile like that... it seems like it would... don't you think??

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 1952

Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people. As he used to do, I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family; and let me say at once how I hope that your children are enjoying themselves as much as mine are on a day which is especially the children’s festival, kept in honour of the Child born at Bethlehem nearly two thousand years ago.
Most of you to whom I am speaking will be in your own homes, but I have a special thought for those who are serving their country in distant lands far from their families. Wherever you are, either at home or away, in snow or in sunshine, I give you my affectionate greetings, with every good wish for Christmas and the New Year.
At Christmas our thoughts are always full of our homes and our families. This is the day when members of the same family try to come together, or if separated by distance or events meet in spirit and affection by exchanging greetings.
But we belong, you and I, to a far larger family. We belong, all of us, to the British Commonwealth and Empire, that immense union of nations, with their homes set in all the four corners of the earth. Like our own families, it can be a great power for good ¾ a force which I believe can be of immeasurable benefit to all humanity. My father, and my grandfather before him, worked all their lives to unite our peoples ever more closely, and to maintain its ideals which were so near to their hearts. I shall strive to carry on their work. Already you have given me strength to do so. For, since my accession ten months ago, your loyalty and affection have been an immense support and encouragement. I want to take this Christmas Day, my first opportunity, to thank you with all my heart.
Many grave problems and difficulties confront us all, but with a new faith in the old and splendid beliefs given us by our forefathers, and the strength to venture beyond the safeties of the past, I know we shall be worthy of our duty. Above all, we must keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure that is the finest quality of youth; and by youth I do not just mean those who are young in years; I mean too all those who are young in heart, no matter how old they may be. That spirit still flourishes in this old country and in all the younger countries of our Commonwealth.
On this broad foundation let us set out to build a truer knowledge of ourselves and our fellowmen, to work for tolerance and understanding among the nations and to use the tremendous forces of science and learning for the betterment of man’s lot upon this earth.
If we can do these three things with courage, with generosity and with humility, then surely we shall achieve that “Peace on earth, Goodwill toward men” which is the eternal message of Christmas, and the desire of us all. At my Coronation next June, I shall dedicate myself anew to your service. I shall do so in the presence of a great congregation, drawn from every part of the Commonwealth and Empire, while millions outside Westminster Abbey will hear the promises and the prayers being offered up within its walls, and see much of the ancient ceremony in which Kings and Queens before me have taken part through century upon century.
You will be keeping it as a holiday; but I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me on that day ¾ to pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you, all the days of my life.
May God bless and guide you all through the coming year.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 1996

To look back is not necessarily to be nostalgic. When I come to Sandringham each year, I like to reflect on what Christmas must have been like when King Edward VII, my great grandfather, and Queen Alexandra first came here as young parents. I remember my own childhood Christmases here, with my father and mother, and a great family gathering, and now I delight in seeing my children and grandchildren enjoying the same traditions.
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the founder of the Christian faith, an event which took place almost 2000 years ago; every year, at this time, we are asked to look back at that extraordinary story and remind ourselves of the message which inspired Christ’s followers then, and which is just as relevant today.
At Christmas I enjoy looking back on some of the events of the year. Many have their roots in history but still have a real point for us today. I recall, especially, a dazzling spring day in Norwich when I attended the Maundy Service, the Cathedral providing a spectacular setting. The lovely service is always a reminder of Christ’s words to his disciples: “ Love one another, as I have loved you ”. It sounds so simple yet it proves so hard to obey.
In June came Trooping the Colour, a vivid reminder of this Country’s proud military tradition, and of the discipline and dedication which our servicemen and women show in their taxing tasks of peace-keeping in many distant parts of the world.
Then, in October, I opened Parliament. This is not just a State occasion, but is also symbolic of the process of parliamentary democracy which we enjoy here in Britain, and in so many countries of the Commonwealth. It is a process which seeks to express the ideal of the equality of all citizens under the law.
So, the past, with its traditions, has its lessons for us in 1996. And this year, in our travels, Prince Philip and I have also been looking to the future. I and all my family have always felt that one of our most important duties is to express, in our visits overseas, the goodwill of our country towards friends abroad, near and far. So, last spring, we visited Poland and the Czech Republic, where we saw the development of democracy and prosperity in countries which only recently were communist-governed. And everywhere we received the best of welcomes. In the autumn we went to Thailand, where we renewed old friendships and witnessed the blending of tradition with a dynamic commercial spirit.
There was also a happy visit to this country by the President of France. And I shall never forget the State visit of President Mandela. That most gracious of men has shown us all how to accept the facts of the past without bitterness, how to see new opportunities as more important than old disputes and how to look forward with courage and optimism. His example is a continuing inspiration to the whole Commonwealth and to all those everywhere who work for peace and reconciliation.
Each year brings its share of difficulties for many families. This year has I know, been no exception. And during it some have suffered bereavement of a tragic and shocking kind.
At such times, it is tempting for all of us, especially those who suffer, to look back and say “ if only ”. But to look back in that way is to look down a blind alley. Better look forward and say “ if only ”. If only we can live up to the example of the child who was born at Christmas with a love that came to embrace the whole world. If only we can let him recapture for us that time when we faced the future with childhood’s unbounded faith. Armed with that faith, the New Year, with all its challenges and chances, should hold no terrors for us, and we should be able to embark upon it undaunted.
My family joins me in wishing each one of you a very Happy Christmas.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 1997

At the Christian heart of this United Kingdom stands Westminster Abbey, and it was right that it provided the setting for two events this year ¾ one of them almost unbearably sad, and one, for Prince Philip and me, tremendously happy. Joy and sadness are part of all our lives. Indeed, the poet William Blake tells us that:

“Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine,
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.”

This interweaving of joy and woe has been very much brought home to me and my family during the last months. We all felt the shock and sorrow of Diana’s death. Thousands upon thousands of you expressed your grief most poignantly in the wonderful flowers and messages left in tribute to her. That was a great comfort to all those close to her, while people all around the world joined us here in Britain
for that service in Westminster Abbey.
But Prince Philip and I also knew the joy of our Golden Wedding. We were glad to be able to share this joy at Buckingham Palace with many other couples, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Then, on our own anniversary day, came a very different service at Westminster Abbey, this time the “silken twine”, a service of thanksgiving for our 50 happy years together. After that service we had a chance to meet and chat to so many different people.
I will never forget that day, nor a day five years ago when Windsor Castle suffered a terrible fire. More than a hundred rooms were badly damaged. But out of the disaster came opportunities for all sorts of people to display their range of skills, their love of history, and their faith in the future. Last month the restoration of the Castle was completed and it is shortly to be open again for all to see. It is a mixture of the original with later additions and alterations ¾ and, the result, a vigorous blend of the old and the new.
And so it has been in the Commonwealth. Prince Philip and I were touched by the way the Canadian people welcomed us again to Canada. We were delighted to be invited to Pakistan and India on the 50th anniversary of their Independence, and to celebrate their achievements since 1947.
The Prince of Wales represented Britain when the people of Hong Kong marked their return to China ¾ in spectacular fashion. Many of you might have felt a twinge of sadness as we in Britain bade them farewell, but we should be proud of the success of our partnership in Hong Kong and in how peacefully the old Empire has been laid to rest. Out of the old Empire sprang the Commonwealth family of nations that we know today, and that, too, has grown and changed over the years.
In October, 51 representatives of Commonwealth governments met in Edinburgh, very much in the spirit of a family gathering. We all enjoy meeting old friends and making new ones, but there was also important business to be done. The world saw that the Commonwealth can make a major contribution to international relations and prosperity.
The meeting also showed that unity and diversity can go hand in hand. Recent developments at home, which have allowed Scotland and Wales greater say in the way they are governed, should be seen in that light and as proof that the kingdom can still enjoy all the benefits of remaining united.
Being united ¾ that is, feeling a unity of purpose ¾ is the glue that bonds together the members of a family, a country, a Commonwealth. Without it, the parts are only fragments of a whole; with it, we can be much more than the sum of those fragments.
For most of us this is a happy family day. But I am well aware that there are many of you who are alone, bereaved, or suffering. My heart goes out to you, and I pray that we, the more fortunate ones, can unite to lend a helping hand wherever it is needed, and not “pass by on the other side”.
St. Paul spoke of the first Christmas as the kindness of God dawning upon the world. The world needs that kindness now more than ever ¾ the kindness and consideration for others that disarms malice and allows us to get on with one another with respect and affection.
Christmas reassures us that God is with us today. But, as I have discovered afresh for myself this year, he is always present in the kindness shown by our neighbours and the love of our friends and family.
God bless you all and Happy Christmas.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 1998

Christmas is a time for reflection and renewal. For Christians the year’s end has a special and familiar significance, but all faiths have their calendars, their signposts, which ask us to pause from time to time and think further than the hectic daily round. We do that as individuals, with our families, and as members of our local communities.
It is not always easy for those in their teens or twenties to believe that someone of my age ¾ of the older generation ¾ might have something useful to say to them. But I would say that my mother has much to say to me.
Indeed, her vigour and enjoyment of life is a great example of how to close the so-called generation gap. She has an extraordinary capacity to bring happiness into other people’s lives. And her own vitality and warmth is returned to her by those whom she meets.
But there are many of my mother’s generation still with us. They can remember the First World War. Prince Philip and I can recall only the Second. I know that those memories of ours define us as old, but they are shared with millions of others, in Britain and the Commonwealth, people who often feel forgotten by the march of time. They remember struggles unknown to young people today, and which they will not forget. Nor should their countries forget them.
And in recent days we have had another reminder of the courage and dedication shown so often round the world by our armed forces in the cause of peace.
Memories such as these are a consequence of age, and not a virtue in themselves. But with age does come experience, and that can be a virtue if it is sensibly used. Though we each lead different lives, the experience of growing older, and the joys and emotions which it brings, are familiar to us all.
It is hard to believe that a half century has passed since our son Charles was christened, and now, last month, he has celebrated his 50th birthday. It was a moment of great happiness and pride on our part in all he has achieved during the last three decades.
As a daughter, a mother and a grandmother, I often find myself seeking advice, or being asked for it, in all three capacities. No age group has a monopoly of wisdom, and indeed I think the young can sometimes be wiser than us. But the older I get, the more conscious I become of the difficulties young people have to face as they learn to live in the modern world.
We parents and grandparents must learn to trust our children and grandchildren as they seize their opportunities, but we can, at the same time, caution and comfort if things go wrong, or guide and explain if we are needed.
My own grandchildren and their generation have a remarkable grasp of modern technology. They are lucky to have the freedom to travel and learn about foreign cultures at an age when the appetite for learning is keen. I see them pushing out the boundaries of science, sport and music, of drama and discovery.
Last June Prince Philip and I gave a party for 900 of Britain’s Young Achievers. This room and several others were brimming with young people who, in their short lives, have already set an example to us all. They are living proof that the timeless virtues of honesty, integrity, initiative and compassion are just as important as they have ever been.
We hear much of “ public life ” ¾ the hurly-burly of parliament, the media, big business, city life. But for most people their contribution, at whatever age, is made quietly through their local communities just like so many of those Young Achievers. To most of them, service is its own reward. Their “ public life ” is their church, their school, their sports club, their local council.
My work, and the work of my family, takes us every week into that quiet sort of “ public life ”, where millions of people give their time, unpaid and usually unsung, to the community, and indeed to those most at risk of exclusion from it. We see these volunteers at work in organisations such as the Scouts and Guides, the Cadet Force, the Red Cross and St John’s, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and the Prince’s Trust.
These organisations, and those who serve them so selflessly, provide the bridges across which the generations travel, meet and learn from one another. They give us, with our families, our sense of belonging. It is they that help define our sense of duty. It is they that can make us strong as individuals, and keep the nation’s heartbeat strong and steady too.
Christmas is a good time for us to recognise all that they do for us and to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them.
Happy Christmas to you all.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 1999

A very happy Christmas to you all. Listening to the choir from St George’s Chapel, Windsor, reminds me that this season of carols and Christmas trees is a time to take stock; a time to reflect on the events of the past year and to make resolutions for the new year ahead.
This December we are looking back not just on one year, but on a hundred years and a thousand years. History is measured in centuries. More than ever we are aware of being a tiny part of the infinite sweep of time when we move from one century and one millennium to another.
And as I look to the future I have no doubt at all that the one certainty is change ¾ and the pace of that change will only seem to increase.
This is true for all of us ¾ young and old. On my mother's ninety-ninth birthday last August I was struck by how the inevitability of change affects us all, and how different were my mother's early years compared with those of my grandchildren.
For many of their generation the future is a source of excitement, hope and challenge. For others however the future is a cause of understandable anxiety. There are many, for example, of my age or amongst the more vulnerable in society who worry that they will be left behind. The sheer rate of change seems to be sweeping away so much that is familiar and comforting.
But I do not think that we should be over-anxious. We can make sense of the future ¾ if we understand the lessons of the past. Winston Churchill, my first Prime Minister, said that “ the further backward you look, the further forward you can see ”.
It was this importance of history which was much on my mind when I opened the new Scottish Parliament in July this year. Devolution in Scotland and Wales, and more recently the very welcome progress in Northern Ireland, are responses to today’s changed circumstances, but they need to be seen in their historical contexts.
History and a common past have also played an important part in bringing together so many different nations into the modern Commonwealth.
This was a frequent theme last month at the Commonwealth conference in South Africa.
At that meeting many of us highlighted the way in which the varied strands of our shared history have been woven together so that we can more effectively address the challenges and opportunities ahead. The Commonwealth, as with the process of devolution in the United Kingdom, reminds us of the importance of bringing the lessons of the past to bear on the aspirations for a better future.
To do this we need to draw from our history those constant and unchanging values which have stood the test of time and experience. Fairness and compassion, justice and tolerance; these are the landmarks from the past which can guide us through the years ahead.
These timeless values tell us above all about the way we should relate to people rather than to things; thinking of others, not just of ourselves.
Earlier this autumn in Manchester I visited some of the Emergency Services, whose responsibilities day in and day out are based on concern for others. As always they are on duty over these Christmas and New Year holidays.
Up and down the country people like those firemen, nurses and ambulancemen I met are working tirelessly to help others. They remind us of the responsibility of each and every one of us to show concern for our neighbours and those less fortunate than ourselves. I believe that this provides us with the direction and resolve required for the years ahead.
The future is not only about new gadgets, modern technology or the latest fashion, important as these may be. At the centre of all our lives ¾ today and tomorrow ¾ must be the message of caring for others, the message at the heart of Christianity and of all the great religions.
This message ¾ love thy neighbour as thyself ¾ may be for Christians two thousand years old. But it is as relevant today as it ever was. I believe it gives us the guidance and the reassurance we need as we step over the threshold into the twenty-first century.
And I for one am looking forward to this new Millennium.
May I wish you all a merry Christmas and, in this year of all years, a very happy New Year.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2000

By any measure this millennium year has been an unforgettable one. Since the turn of the year it has been celebrated and marked in this country and throughout the Commonwealth, and it has been a particular pleasure for me to visit millennium projects large and small which will be reminders for generations to come of the time when the 21st century began.
But as this year draws to a close I would like to reflect more directly and more personally on what lies behind all the celebrations of these past 12 months. Christmas is the traditional, if not the actual, birthday of a man who was destined to change the course of our history.
And today we are celebrating the fact that Jesus Christ was born 2,000
years ago; this is the true millennium anniversary. The simple facts of Jesus' life give us little clue as to the influence he was to have on the world. As a boy he learnt his father’s trade as a carpenter. He then became a preacher, recruiting 12 supporters to help him.
But his ministry only lasted a few years and he himself never wrote
anything down. In his early 30s he was arrested, tortured and crucified with two criminals. His death might have been the end of the story, but then came the resurrection and with it the foundation of the Christian faith.
Even in our very material age the impact of Christ’s life is all around us. If you want to see an expression of Christian faith, you only have to look at our awe-inspiring cathedrals and abbeys, listen to their music, or look at their stained-glass windows, their books and their pictures.
But the true measure of Christ’s influence is not only in the lives of the saints, but also in the good works done by millions of men and women day in and day out throughout the centuries. Many will have been inspired by Jesus’ simple but powerful teaching: love God and love thy neighbour as thyself ¾ in other words, treat others as you would like them to treat you.
His great emphasis was to give spirituality a practical purpose. Whether we believe in God or not, I think most of us have a sense of the spiritual, that recognition of a deeper meaning and purpose in our lives, and I believe that this sense flourishes despite the pressures of our world.
This spirituality can be seen in the teachings of other great faiths. Of course religion can be divisive, but the Bible, the Koran and the sacred texts of the Jews and Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, are all sources of divine inspiration and practical guidance passed down through the generations. To many of us our beliefs are of
fundamental importance.
For me the teachings of Christ and my personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example. I believe that the Christian message, in the words of a familiar blessing, remains profoundly important to us all: “Go forth into the world in peace , be of good courage, hold fast that which is good, render to no man evil for evil, strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the afflicted, honour all men.”
It is a simple message of compassion ¾ and yet as powerful as ever today, 2,000 years after Christ’s birth.
I hope this day will be as special for you as it is for me. May I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2001

For many people all over the world, the year 2001 seems to have brought them more than their fair share of trials and disasters.
There have been storms and droughts as well as epidemics and famine. And this country has not been spared, with the floods this time last year and Foot and Mouth which has had such devastating consequences for our farmers and rural communities. They and others whose livelihoods have been affected continue to suffer hardship and anxiety long after the newspaper headlines have moved on.
But whilst many of these events were of natural origin, it was the human conflicts and the wanton acts of crime and terror against fellow human beings which have so appalled us all. The terrorist outrages in the United States last September brought home to us the pain and grief of ordinary people the world over who find themselves innocently caught up in such evil.
During the following days we struggled to find ways of expressing our horror at what had happened. As so often in our lives at times of tragedy - just as on occasions of celebration and thanksgiving ¾ we look to the Church to bring us together as a nation or as a community in commemoration and tribute. It is to the Church that we turn to give meaning to these moments of intense human experience through prayer, symbol and ceremony.
In these circumstances so many of us, whatever our religion, need our faith more than ever to sustain and guide us. Every one of us needs to believe in the value of all that is good and honest; we need to let this belief drive and influence our actions.
All the major faiths tell us to give support and hope to others in distress. We in this country have tried to bring comfort to all those who were bereaved, or who suffered loss or injury in September’s tragic events through those moving services at St Paul’s and more recently at Westminster Abbey.
On these occasions and during the countless other acts of worship during this past year, we came together as a community ¾ of relations, friends and neighbours ¾ to draw strength in troubled times from those around us.
I believe that strong and open communities matter both in good times as well as bad. Certainly they provide a way of helping one another. I would like to pay tribute to so many of you who work selflessly for others in your neighbourhood needing care and support.
Communities also give us an important sense of belonging, which is a compelling need in all of us. We all enjoy moments of great happiness and suffer times of profound sadness; the happiness is heightened, the sadness softened when it is shared.
But there is more than that. A sense of belonging to a group, which has in common the same desire for a fair and ordered society, helps to overcome differences and misunderstanding by reducing prejudice, ignorance and fear. We all have something to learn from one another, whatever our faith ¾ be it Christian or Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh ¾ whatever our background, whether we be young or old, from town or countryside.
This is an important lesson for us all during this festive season. For Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal. Christ’s birth in Bethlehem so long ago remains a powerful symbol of hope for a better future. After all the tribulations of this year, this is surely more relevant than ever.
As we come together amongst family and friends and look forward to the coming year, I hope that in the months to come we shall be able to find ways of strengthening our own communities as a sure support and comfort to us all ¾ whatever may lie ahead.
May I, in this my fiftieth Christmas message to you, once again wish every one of you a very happy Christmas.

 

[gaoshan1021]

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2002

As I look back over these past 12 months, I know that it has been about as full a year as I can remember.
But Christmas itself still remains a time for reflection and a focus for hope for the future. All great religions have such times of renewal ¾ moments to take stock before moving on to face the challenges which lie ahead.
Many of you will know only too well from your own experience, the grief that follows the death of a much-loved mother or sister. Mine were very much part of my life and always gave me their support and encouragement. But my own sadness was tempered by the generous tributes that so many of you have paid to the service they gave to this country and the wider Commonwealth.
At such a difficult time this gave me great comfort and inspiration as I faced up both to my own personal loss and to the busy Jubilee summer ahead.
Anniversaries are important events in all our lives. Christmas is the anniversary of the birth of Christ over 2000 years ago, but it is much more than that. It is the celebration of the birth of an idea and an ideal. In a different way I felt that the Golden Jubilee was more than just an anniversary.
The celebrations were joyous occasions, but they also seemed to evoke something more lasting and profound ¾ a sense of belonging and pride in country, town or community; a sense of sharing a common heritage enriched by the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of our 21st Century society.
I hope it also provided an occasion to acknowledge the progress of the past 50 years and the contributions of those who have done so much to make this country what it is today ¾ their leadership and example, their achievements in science, the arts and many other fields.
These celebrations also gave opportunities to recognise the valuable work undertaken by so many people in service of their communities.
It was a time to remind ourselves, as the Christmas story does every year, that we must never forget the plight of the disadvantaged and excluded, that we must respond to the needs of those who may be in distress or despair.
Our modern world places such heavy demands on our time and attention that the need to remember our responsibilities to others is greater than ever.
It is often difficult to keep this sense of perspective through the ups and downs of everyday life ¾ as this year has constantly reminded me. I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad.
Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God. Like others of you who draw inspiration from your own faith, I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel.
Fortified by this and the support you have given throughout the last 12 months, which has meant so much to me, I look forward to the New Year, to facing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and to continuing to serve you to the very best of my ability each and every day.
A Happy Christmas to you all.

 

[gaoshan1021]

Does anybody know where can I get all the video tapes of Her Majesty's Christmas Messages since her accession?

 

[sara1981]

i really love her story! how long she been Christmas message? maybe around 50 years?

its very interest! i would remind to read her story about it! i wanted to remind truly of Diana,Princess of Wales and beloves HM Queen Mother both who deceases but i really missed Princess Diana lots for 6 years!

I like to read of HM Queen's story i really love it! :flower:

Sara Boyce

 

[Binny]

Canadian pop icon and photographer Bryan Adams admires a new Canadian postage stamp bearing a photograph that he took of Queen Elizabeth II during an unveiling of the stamp in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa Friday, Dec. 19, 2003.(AP Photo/CP,Jonathan Hayward)

 

[Binny]

Originally posted by gaoshan1021@Dec 18th, 2003 - 11:07 pm
Does anybody know where can I get all the video tapes of Her Majesty's Christmas Messages since her accession?

Hi!

Perhaps you could try contacting the BBC?

 

[zhontella]

Originally posted by gaoshan1021@Dec 18th, 2003 - 8:05 pm
I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad.
Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God. Like others of you who draw inspiration from your own faith, I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel.
Fortified by this and the support you have given throughout the last 12 months, which has meant so much to me, I look forward to the New Year, to facing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and to continuing to serve you to the very best of my ability each and every day.
A Happy Christmas to you all.

What else can Queen Elizabeth II do but give her full support to the gospel of divine right of kings and queens? How else can she justify the behavior of her buffoon husband and her idiot son?

 

[Alexandria]

I think that we have to remember that Prince Phillip and Prince Charles do do good works, too.

Yes, Prince Phillip sometimes makes very inappropriate or ignorant comments, and Charles has had more than one scandal plague him. But I find that the horrendous comments that come out of Phillip's mouth or the scandals Charles finds himself embroiled in overshadow all the good they do do on a regular basis.

 

[Lord Williams]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I just saw these pictures of Her Majesty's face surgery. I knew about the knee surgery but not the face? What happened to her face to have to have the surgery? It looks painful? Was it that mole that was abover her eyebrow? Was it removed and what of her nose and below her eye? I feel so sorry for her, nobody there to help her down the stairs, no grandchildren. I know the royal family doesnt visit sick people if they are contageous but face surgery has no risk of catching anything, it is cruel. I would have stood behind my grandmother and made sure she got down the steps ok. And why was Her Majesty wearing heels? She could have gotten easier shoes to walk in, its just her formality I truly love the Queen!

Get Well Soon Your Majesty :flower:

 

[kelly9480]

The Queen Mother was never helped down the stairs when she was ill -- it doesn't mean her children didn't love her. They don't like to be seen being helped places, it doesn't give an appearance of strength. It's just not how the family handles things, but Philip was probably at the Palace waiting for her, and her children and grandchildren have probably seen and/or talked to her.

She had some skin lesions removed from above her eyebrow and around her nostril. The Palace said that they had been tested earlier and weren't cancerous.

 

[Britters]

Have all the family arrived at Sandringham for the holiday yet? I was sure we would hear some news or see pictures of the younger royals out and about before the holiday...

 

[micas]

I belive so. The Cristhmas is this week. But i have to confesse that i just look for pics and i don't find nothing, so we have to wait until 25 when they go for service.

 

[Martine]

yeh i think we'll have to wait to

 

[Alexandria]

Yahoo News


Britain's Queen Elizabeth shocked by corgi death: report

Tue Dec 23, 7:42 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was said to be distraught after an English bull terrier owned by her daughter Princess Anne killed one of her beloved corgis, a best-selling newspaper said.

"His death has left her deeply saddened. Everyone knows what the corgis mean to her. They are loyal, faithful and cherished," said a royal insider quoted by The Sun tabloid.

"The incident has certainly put a damper on the Christmas holiday. It's terrible and everyone at Sandringham is very upset," the unnamed source was quoted as saying.

Elizabeth was said to be "absolutely devastated" over the death of Pharos after he was savaged by Dottie, according to the newspaper.

Just last year Anne, known as the Princess Royal, was fined after Dottie attacked two children in Windsor Great Park, in west London.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the alleged incident, which was said to have happened on Monday afternoon as the royal family gathered for Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk, east England.

According to The Sun the bull terrier attacked Pharos, injuring the corgi's legs, when Dottie ran to greet Anne on arrival at Sandringham.

Pharos was treated by royal vets and kept in intensive care overnight but had to be put down.

 

[Alexandria]

Yahoo News

Royal Christmas overshadowed by death of queen's corgi
Wed Dec 24, 4:17 AM ET

LONDON (AFP) - The royals were gathering at their country retreat for Christmas as Queen Elizabeth II mourned the death of one of her beloved corgis, reportedly killed by her daughter's dog.

The queen, convalescing after knee and facial surgery earlier in December, was said to be "absolutely devastated" over the death of Pharos, who The Sun said was savaged by Princess Anne's English bull terrier, called Dotty.

"His death has left her deeply saddened. Everyone knows what the corgis mean to her. They are loyal, faithful and cherished," said a royal insider quoted by The Sun on Wednesday.

"The incident has certainly put a damper on the Christmas holiday. It's terrible and everyone at Sandringham is very upset," said the unnamed source.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the alleged incident, which was said to have happened on Monday afternoon as the royal family gathered for Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk.

According to The Sun the bull terrier attacked Pharos, injuring the corgi's legs, when Dotty ran to greet Anne on her arrival at Sandringham.

Pharos was treated by royal vets and kept in intensive care overnight but had to be put down, The Sun said.

Princess Anne became the first British royal to be given a criminal record in November last year when she was fined, reportedly for allowing Dotty -- short for Dorothy -- to attack two children in Windsor Great Park, west of London.

The queen passion for her beloved corgis is well documented and the small Welsh farm dogs are often seen with her on official duties.

Chipper, one of the queen's earlier dorgis -- a cross between a dachshund and a corgi -- was attacked and killed by the late Queen Mother's corgi, Ranger.

The Sun claimed in 1999 that the queen demoted a royal footman for allegedly spiking a corgi's water with whiskey and gin.

 

[Dennism]

I'm not a dog person myself so I just don't see it. But that's a shame to lose a beloved pet like that.