Queen Elizabeth is set to acknowledge the ‘bumpy’ path the royal family and the nation has experienced this year on December 25 – but it’s possible not everyone’s focus will be on her Christmas speech.
Instead, some viewers may be paying more attention to the fact that three important people appear to be missing from the photos on her desk.
Prince Philip, Prince William and Kate Middleton – and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – Prince Charles and Camilla, and the Queen’s father King George VI can all be spotted smiling from frames.
However, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their son Archie are strangely absent from the main display.
The move is sure to leave some wondering: were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex snubbed by Her Majesty?
Or will the camera pan round to catch them elsewhere on the desk?
We can only wait until 3pm on Christmas Day to find out.
Harry and Meghan have based themselves in Canada over the festive season for an extended break with their baby son and the former actress’ mum Doria Ragland.
The couple missed the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace and will not be present for the traditional royal family gathering at the monarch’s private Sandringham estate on Christmas Day.
This will be the second time Prince Harry has missed spending December 25 with his immediate family, the first being when he was on a tour of Afghanistan while in the Army in 2012.
The 93-year-old monarch will comment in her speech on ‘how small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.’
Wearing a royal blue cashmere dress by Angela Kelly, she will add: ‘The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference.’
The head of state will also highlight the 75th anniversary of the Second World War D-Day landings, and how former ‘sworn enemies’ joined together in friendly commemorations to mark the milestone in 2019.
The Queen’s comment is thought to be her first public reference to the personal events her family has experienced this year.
It’s been a turbulent year for the royal family, most notably with allegations that Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘sex slave’ Virginia Giuffre was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew.
The Duke of York has denied all claims.
Other low points saw the Duke of Edinburgh give up his driving license after two women were injured in a car crash in January.
In an emotional interview in October, Meghan also revealed that things had been tough since she joined the Royal Family.
Opening up about the struggles of becoming a mother while living under the glare of the media spotlight, she was on the verge of tears while speaking with ITV’s Tom Bradby.
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At one point she thanked Bradby for asking how she’s coping, saying: ‘Not many people have asked if I’m OK’.
She added it was ‘a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes’ and confirmed it had ‘really been a struggle’.
Meanwhile, in the same interview Prince Harry acknowledged that he and his brother Prince William were ‘on different paths at the moment’.
The Queen’s speech airs at 3pm on Christmas Day on BBC One, ITV, Sky One, Sky News and Radio 4.
It can also be streamed on YouTube, Facebook and BBC iPlayer.
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