Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain addressed the nation with the traditional annual solemn Christmas speech, in which she stated that she did not lose hope for the future, despite the gloomy events that the world faced in 2015, and expressed hope for "light in the darkness."
The speech of Elizabeth II is published on her official website, as well as made public on the British Monarchy YouTube account.
“It is true that the world has experienced gloomy events this year,” the queen said, sitting at her desk in an 18th-century study at Buckingham Palace, “but there is a line in the Gospel of John that inspires great hope. It is often read during Christmas services:” And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." One of the reasons for our gratitude this summer was the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. On Victory Day over Japan, we honored the surviving veterans of this brutal conflict on Far East, as well as remembering the thousands who did not return."
Elizabeth II noted that "for Joseph and Mary, the conditions in which Jesus was born - in a stable - were far from ideal, but the worst was ahead of them when the family was forced to leave the country." "No wonder," she added, "that such a human story still intrigues and continues to inspire all of us who are Christians around the world." The Queen recalled that Jesus, "despite being driven from his place and persecuted throughout his short life," proclaimed "an unchanging truth, not about revenge or violence, but simply that we should love one another."
The head of the British crown also recalled that her ancestors, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, were involved in the popularization of Christmas trees, following the example of which many Britons also began to use this holiday symbol. "When we gather around the Christmas tree, we get the opportunity to think about the coming year - I personally look forward to a busy 2016, although I was warned that they could sing a toast in honor of my birthday more than once or twice," the Queen reminded her of her upcoming 90th anniversary.
"It also allows us to reflect on the passing year when we think of those who are far away or who are no longer with us. Many people say that the first Christmas after the loss of a loved one is especially difficult. But it is also a time remember those to whom we are grateful,” said Elizabeth II.
In the past year, her fifth great-granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, was born. She was born on May 2nd. Parents already showed to her public, gathered at the London hospital of St. Mary. After giving birth, before departing for Kensington Palace, the couple posed for reporters on the porch of the hospital. The princess herself, who did not yet have a name, however, overslept everything.
Her full name- Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. The first name is the female form of the name Charles, which is her grandfather, the second name was given to her in honor of her great-grandmother - Queen Elizabeth II, and the third - in memory of her late grandmother - Princess Diana of Wales. Charlotte is fourth in line to the throne. The baptism of the princess took place on July 5.
Elizabeth II herself writes her messages at Christmas, and, as the correspondent notes
Today we ate Christmas goose, drank Christmas hock (I didn’t know what kind of thing it was, it turned out to be cider, 9 percent of the fortress), ate it all with cake and got ready to listen to the queen’s Christmas speech. Exactly at 15-00 the hymn “God Save the Queen” sounded, Roy and Mishka stretched out “into the front”, and she appeared on the screen. She spoke. Roy, as usual, was deeply moved by love for her, tears appeared. I must say that I was not far from it too. Her speech this year was very touching, it all started with a demonstration of a monument to love: a woman who walked through all of post-war Europe on foot to find her husband.
On the ruins of the old cathedral in Coventry, there is a sculpture depicting a man and a woman reaching out to embrace each other. The sculptor was inspired by the story of a woman who crossed Europe on foot after the war to find her husband.
Casts of the same sculpture are now in Belfast and Berlin, and it is simply called Reconciliation.
Reconciliation is the peaceful end of conflict, and we were recently reminded of this in August when countries from both sides of the World War I military conflict came together to peacefully remember the war.
The pottery poppies around the Tower of London attracted millions of people, and the only possible reaction to looking at them and being among them was silence. After all, each poppy symbolizes life and reminds of the grief of orphaned loved ones. .
Not a single one who fought in that war remained among the living, but we remember what they sacrificed: both they and those who serve in the army, those who protect us today.
In 1914, many people thought that the war would be over by Christmas, but, unfortunately, trenches and outlines were dug future war in Europe have been identified.
However, as we know, something remarkable happened on Christmas Day, exactly 100 years ago.
Without any instructions or commands, the firing ceased, and the German and British soldiers met in no man's land. Pictures were taken and gifts were exchanged. It was a Christmas truce.
A truce is not a new idea. AT ancient world a truce was declared on the days of the Olympic Games and the battles were stopped for their time.
Sport is a great way for people and nations to come together, as we saw this year in Glasgow when over 70 nations took part in the Commonwealth Games.
It is no coincidence that these games are also called Friendly Games. These games not only helped to create a dialogue between nations, but also for the first time included para-sports in everyday sports life.
The benefits of reconciliation were clearly visible when I visited Belfast in June. The Game of Thrones movie was probably the focus of everyone's attention back then, but my visit to the Crumlin Road Gaol was clearly etched in my memory.
Once, in times of unrest, there was a prison, but now it is a place where hope and new ideas live; a reminder of what is possible for people to achieve when they try to reach out to each other - like a couple in that sculpture.
Of course, there is reconciliation different forms. In Scotland, after the referendum, many felt very disappointed and others very relieved, and it will take time for this difference to iron out.
An even bigger challenge is to bring reconciliation to war zones, and I was deeply moved this year by the self-sacrifice of medical volunteers helping victims of war or those affected by diseases like Ebola, often at great risk.
For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life.
A model in reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretches out his hands with love, accepting and healing everyone. The example of Christ teaches me to strive to respect and value all people, regardless of faith or non-believers.
Sometimes reconciliation seems to stand little chance in the face of war and strife. But as the Christmas Truce a century ago reminds us, peace and good will have enduring power in the hearts of men and women.
On that cold night before Christmas in 1914, many German soldiers sang Silent Night, and this beautiful tune flew over the front lines.
This song is loved by people in different countries to this day, it is a legacy of the Christmas truce, reminding us that even in the most incredible places you can sometimes find hope.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Translation of the Queen's speech:
“At this time of the year, few things are more emotional than the sparkling lights of a Christmas tree.
Spruce is so popular partly because of my ancestors Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. After this touching picture was published, many families wanted to have their own Christmas tree. And so this tradition was born.
In 1949, as a young wife, I celebrated Christmas in Malta. We have since returned to this island many times, including during my recent meeting with the leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations. And this year I have met new leaders: the winners of the Queen's Young Heroes Award, a group of inspiring young people who are each a symbol of hope in each of their Commonwealth countries.
Gathering around the Christmas tree, we give ourselves a chance to think about the next year - I'm looking forward to 2016, busy. Although I was warned that I might be sung "Happy Birthday" more than once or twice.
We also think about the past year, about those who are far away or no longer with us. Many people say that celebrating Christmas after the loss of loved ones is especially hard. But Christmas is a time to remember the things we are grateful for.
It is true that the whole world has had to confront dark moments this year. There is a line in the Gospel of John about great hope that is often repeated at Christmas church services: "The light flickers in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it."
It is worth saying thank you for the fact that the Second World War ended in the summer of 70 years ago.
It is worth saying thank you for the victory over Japan (it is celebrated in the UK and the USA on August 15, the day of the surrender of Japan - Rain). We bow to the surviving war veterans for their part in this terrible conflict in the far East, and we also bow to the thousands of those who did not return from there.
The procession from the Horse Guards to Westminster Abbey must be the slowest of all, because so many people want to say "thank you".
At the end of the war, people from Oslo began sending daily gifts to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. She had 500 glowing balls, and spruce was admired not only by Christians, but also by people of all religions, and atheists. And at the very top of the spruce was a bright star, symbolizing the star of Bethlehem.
The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree goes back to the time of Prince Albert. He chose an angel for his Christmas tree to help him remember that on Christmas, the most important thing is family.
Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, were far from idyllic in the barn where Jesus was born, but they were worse - the family had to flee the country.
And it is no wonder that such a touching story still excites our imagination and continues to inspire Christians from all over the world.
Despite persecution in his short life, Jesus left us an unchanging message that is full of neither revenge nor violence, but simply love for one another.
And although this is not an easy covenant to fulfill, we should not become discouraged. This covenant should inspire us to try harder, to be grateful for those people who bring us love and happiness, and to look for opportunities to bring love to others, everywhere and at all times.
One of the delights of a long life is to look at your children, then grandchildren, and then great-grandchildren; help them decorate the Christmas tree. And this year in my family appeared new person who will join in the fun!
Traditional decorations have changed a bit since the first V&A Christmas tree, of course, electric lights have replaced candles.
There is a saying that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. And millions of people light candles as a sign of hope in our world.
Christmas is a time to say "thank you" to those who bring light into our lives.
I wish you a Merry Christmas!"
It is known that it is very useful to listen to English speech, having a transcript (text) of this speech at hand.
Well, from time to time I'm going to give this opportunity on the blog.
In principle, today it is not a problem to independently find similar materials on the worldwide web. But I will try to select worthy and interesting samples of English speech.
Let's start with Queen Elizabeth II herself.
So, the royal speech at the banquet with Obama - The Queen's speech at the US State Banquet, 24 May 2011.
Transcript of the Queen's speech on the video:
I am delighted to welcome you and Mrs Obama to London.
Prince Philip and I are so glad that you are visiting the United Kingdom again. We have fond memories of our first meeting during the G20 Conference in London in 2009. It also gave me much pleasure to welcome Mrs Obama and your two daughters here almost two years ago.
Your visit to this country inevitably reminds us of our shared history, our common language, and our strong intellectual and cultural links. It also reminds us that your country twice came to the rescue of the free and democratic world when it was facing military disaster. On each occasion, after the end of those destructive wars, the generosity of the United States made a massive contribution to our economic recovery. Today the United States remains our most important ally and our two nations contribute to the security and prosperity of our peoples, and of the world, through shared national interests.
But our relationship goes far beyond our military and diplomatic ties. In your inaugural address, you spoke to the American people of the values that lay at the heart of your nation's success: 'honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism'; and of the ‘sturdy alliances and enduring convictions’ with which your nation had met past challenges and would meet future ones, too. If I may say so, these values underscore much of the life of the United Kingdom also. Together with our alliance, they continue to guide our actions as we confront the challenges of a changing world.
It is unfortunate that there are so many troubles facing the world today, but we are encouraged that in most respects our two countries see these problems in the same light. For this reason we have been able to act together in fields as varied as science, research and higher education to find solutions or to at least make progress towards tackling so many of the social and economic difficulties that confront nations in all parts of the globe.
Entertainment may not be so obviously an example of our close ties, but it forms part of the lives of a great many of our people. Over the years, we have enjoyed some of America’s most spectacular musical productions and any number of what we call films – and you might prefer to call movies. In return, British films and theatrical productions have achieved considerable success in your country. This exchange of people and projects has enlarged and invigorated our common language – although I think you will agree we do not always use it in quite the same way!
Mr President, I firmly believe that the strength of our links and many shared interests will continue to ensure that when the United States and the United Kingdom stand together, our people and other people of goodwill around the world will be more secure and can become more prosperous.
Image copyright PA
In her traditional Christmas TV address, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain will speak of hope in dark times.
The Queen will describe the holiday period as "a time to remember all that we should be grateful for."
This year, the Queen's televised address, produced by production company ITN, will be broadcast on television and radio at 15:00 GMT on 25 December.
Her Majesty will say in her address: "This year the world has been forced to confront 'moments of darkness', but in the Gospel of John there are stanzas of great hope that are often read during Christmas services: 'And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ".
The Importance of the Family
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the Queen once again expresses her gratitude for the service and sacrifice of those who took part in the fighting.
Elizabeth II will also thank "the people who bring love and happiness into our lives", above all, the family.
The Queen recorded the Christmas address at her desk in an 18th-century study at Buckingham Palace. The Queen writes her own Christmas address, one of those rare occasions when her speech reflects her own views.
During the speech, Queen Elizabeth II will wear the silver and white tweed dress that was part of her wardrobe during her Diamond Jubilee visit to Wales in 2012. On the left shoulder is an Art Deco brooch with diamonds and aquamarines, formerly owned by the Queen Mother.
