Queen Elizabeth honored Commonwealth Day a bit differently this year.
The monarch delivered her annual address on Sunday, appearing in a TV special for the occasion hours before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey was set to air in the U.S.
In her pre-recorded speech, the Queen reflected on the unprecedented challenges the world has faced since early 2020 and she paid tribute to how the Commonwealth’s family of nations came together in a united response.
🌍 In this year’s #CommonwealthDay message The Queen
pays tribute to the way in which communities across the family of nations have come together in response to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/rOoUMJLlKg— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 7, 2021
“Whilst experiences of the last year have been different across the Commonwealth, stirring examples of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty have been demonstrated in every Commonwealth nation and territory, notably by those working on the frontline, who have been delivering healthcare and other public services in their communities,” she said in part, through voiceover narration. “We have also taken encouragement from remarkable advances in developing new vaccines and treatments. The testing times experienced by so many have led to a deeper appreciation of the mutual support and spiritual sustenance we enjoy by being connected to others.”
The 94-year-old went on to stress the importance of keeping in touch with loved ones and noted that the rise of online communication in recent months “transcends boundaries or division, helping any sense of distance to disappear,” a section which some social media users found ironic considering the fallout of Meghan and Harry’s royal exit.
The yearly Commonwealth Day service usually takes place at London’s Westminster Abbey, but in-person festivities were cancelled for the first time in nearly 50 years due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, the event marked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s final royal appearance before they officially stepped down as senior members of the monarchy.
This year’s celebration aired on the BBC and included appearances from Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, who delivered remarks of their own. Prince William and Kate Middleton, meanwhile, participated in a virtual video chat with frontline workers across multiple Commonwealth nations.
The Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, remains hospitalized following a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at St. Bartholomew’s hospital on Wednesday.
Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that the procedure was “successful” and Philip will continue his medical care “for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days.” He was first admitted to King Edward VII hospital last month and has since been transferred back to the facility.
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