A Christmas speech during an annus horribilis

Some royal Christmas Broadcasts are joyful events while others deal with more difficult times. While 1992 may be one of the Royal Family’s worst years ever, Queen Elizabeth II still found positivity for her speech. 

The year 1992 was known as The Queen’s annus horribilis. 

Three of her children ended their marriages: the Prince and Princess of Wales separated, the Duke and Duchess of York separated, and Princess Anne divorced Mark Phillips. 

On 20 November, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle that burned for nearly fifteen hours and damaged over one hundred rooms. 

Queen Elizabeth II chose to focus on the support that she and her family received during the horrible year. In her Christmas Day speech, she said ”Like many other families, we have lived through some difficult days this year. The prayers, understanding and sympathy given to us by so many of you, in good times and bad, have lent us great support and encouragement. It has touched me deeply that much of this has come from those of you who have troubles of your own.”

Queen Elizabeth II also looked to the future in her Christmas address and those who were working to improve things, noting ”As some of you may have heard me observe, it has, indeed, been a sombre year. But Christmas is surely the right moment to try to put it behind us and to find a moment to pray for those, wherever they are, who are doing their best in all sorts of ways to make things better in 1993.”