Queen Elizabeth expected to give very personal Christmas message this year
December 24, 2021, 9:12 am

Queen Elizabeth expected to give very personal Christmas message this year

UK-Queen Elizabeth/The Royal Family official Facebook page

The BBC reported that Queen Elizabeth is expected to give a very personal Christmas message this year, in her first Christmas since the death of her husband Prince Philip.

It said that the annual broadcast was recorded last week, before the Queen's decision to stay in Windsor Castle because of concerns about the pandemic.

It mentioned that there are not any Christmas day public appearances expected from the Queen.

But she was said to be in "good form" by Buckingham Palace aides and needed few takes to complete the recording.

The BBC noted that the traditional Christmas day message, to be screened at 15:00 GMT on Saturday, is an address to the nation and to the Commonwealth, reflecting on the passing year.

For the Queen it's the end of the year in which Prince Philip died, after a marriage of 73 years together.

In the broadcast she speaks beside a framed photograph of the couple taken during their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007 - and she is wearing the same sapphire brooch that appears in the photograph.

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It's the same brooch, with a chrysanthemum design, that she wore on honeymoon in 1947.

A service of thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip has been announced by Buckingham Palace, to be held in Westminster Abbey in the spring, with representatives of his charities and causes to be among the guests.

According to the BBC, this year's speech is expected to be more personal than usual, in a year in which many families have faced bereavements and hardship in the pandemic.

It should be noted that it's also the approach of next year's platinum jubilee, marking 70 years since she took to the throne.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”