On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth of England spoke of the loss of her husband Prince Philip, recalling the “mischievous flash” in his eyes in an unusually personal Christmas message to the nation.

The 95-year-old said that while Christmas has been a happy time for many, it can be difficult for those who have lost loved ones, and this year in particular, Understand why, after losing Felipe, 99.

His “sense of service, his intellectual curiosity, and his ability to bring the fun out of any unstoppable situation,” he said in his traditional pre-recorded broadcast while on vacation, praised “my darling Felipe.”

“This mischievous glow of curiosity was at the end as strong as it was when I first saw it,” he said.

The Queen said she knew Felipe wanted his family to enjoy Christmas and that there would be joy for them despite the lack of “family laughter”.

She gave her speech sitting at a desk with a picture of her and Philippe, standing with her arm in her arm and smiling at each other. The photo was taken in 2007, when the couple was celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Elizabeth is spending Christmas at Windsor Castle, west London, for the second year in a row, in a break from royal traditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. A palace source said this reflects a precautionary approach when the Omicron variant spreads rapidly.