Queen's Speech: The photos on show during Christmas message are very telling
24 December 2019, 09:26 | Updated: 24 December 2019, 22:35
The Queen had four photos on display for her Christmas message - but there was no sign of Harry and Meghan.
The Queen will acknowledge the "bumpy" path the royal family and the nation has experienced over the last year, but adds that "small steps taken in faith and in hope" can be significant.
She spoke with pictures of her family on the table in front of her. And while Prince William and the Duke of Edinburgh take centre stage, there is no sign of William's brother Harry - who has spoken of difficulties living in the public eye.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have based themselves in Canada during an extended festive break with baby son Archie and missed the Queen's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.
The decision to leave the UK comes after the Duke and Duchess appeared in a documentary with Harry saying he and his brother were now "on different paths" and have "good days" and "bad days" in their relationship.
The photos showing during the Queen's Speech
1. Prince Charles and Camilla
The heir to the throne is shown in the first picture, in the year which marked the 50th anniversary of Charles being invested as the Prince of Wales.
2. Prince Philip
The Queen's devoted husband, now 98, is shown in another photo. The Duke of Edinburgh left hospital on Christmas Eve to return to Sandringham to spend Christmas with his family.
3. Prince William and his family
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are shown in a delightful picture with their three children - George, Charlotte and Louis. Perched on and around a motorbike and side car, this was also the image used for the couple’s Christmas card this year.
4. King George VI
Also on the table is a black and white photo of the Queen's father, King George VI. It shows the moment the King was sending a message of hope and reassurance to the British people in 1944. He was brought back to public attention in the film The King's Speech.
Who is missing from the photos in the Queen's speech
Prince Harry and Meghan
With Archie being born in May, many people thought the Prince would be central to the Royal Family. But following a tricky year in which Harry spoke of difficulties in the public eye, he is nowhere to be seen.
Prince Andrew
Rather less surprisingly, there is also no mention of the Duke of York, who was essentially sacked by the Queen after a disastrous interview in which he failed to reassure the public over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
