Source: express.co.uk
Image: CNN screenshot
Queen Elizabeth II delivered her address to the UK and the Commonwealth at 8pm on Sunday as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the world. Buckingham Palace shared details of the Queen’s speech earlier this week and revealed it was pre-recorded on Thursday. The Palace noted that there was only one BBC cameraman recording the speech while wearing full personal protective equipment.
In the address, the Queen said: „I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time.
„A time of disruption in the life of our country.
„A disruption that thas brought grief to some, financial difficulty to many and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.“
The Queen went on to thank the many services allowing Britain to cope during the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: „I want to thank everyone on the NHS frontline as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles.
„Those that selflessly carry out their day to day duties outside the home in support of us all.
„I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times.
„I also want to thank those of you that are staying at home, thereby helping protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones.“
She added: „I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.
„And those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.
„That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet, good-humoured resolve and of fellow feeling still characterise this country.“
The Queen also made reference to her first speech to the nation during world war 2.
She added: „It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety.
„Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do.“
