Queen Elizabeth II once said that she would rule her entire life, but the Queen’s recent Christmas speech has sparked speculation that she may be getting ready to abdicate. Will Britain’s longest reigning Queen finally step down and retire after 65 years on the throne?
The Queen Teases Retirement
According to Newsweek , Queen Elizabeth talked a lot about family and home during her Christmas speech over the weekend. She also hinted that her husband’s recent retirement from service was a result of his desire to spend more time with the royal family.
Prince Philip decided to step away from all royal duties this past year, making his last public appearance during a parade at Buckingham Palace in August. Elizabeth explained how the Duke of Edinburgh had, “done his bit,” and wanted to slow things down. Although she did not say that she wanted to follow Philip’s lead, but her words sparked a lot of speculation on social media.
Elizabeth Reminisces About Her Long Reign
Some fans thought Queen Elizabeth’s speech was clear evidence that she is thinking about retirement. Given Philip’s recent decision to step down, it is entirely possible that Elizabeth follows his lead and abdicates.
In her speech, Elizabeth also looked back at her lengthy reign with Philip and admitted that she never thought they would last this long. She also made it clear that she relies heavily on Philip’s support and that she values family above everything else.
“I don’t know that anyone had invented the term ‘platinum’ for a 70th wedding anniversary when I was born. You weren’t expected to be around that long,” Queen Elizabeth shared. “But I know his support and unique sense of humor will remain as strong as ever as we enjoy spending time this Christmas with our family and look forward to welcoming new members into it next year.”
What About Harry’s Upcoming Wedding?
Speaking of family, Washington Post reports that Queen Elizabeth’s mention of “new members” is a reference to Prince Harry and his fiancée, Meghan Markle. The two are set to tie the knot this coming May, and the Suits star even spent Christmas with Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family. Elizabeth, of course, was also talking about Prince William and Kate Middleton having their third child, which is due about a month before Harry and Markle’s wedding.
Elizabeth Is A Huge Fan Of The Crown
While Elizabeth may be thinking about abdicating, Vanity Fair reports that she might spend her retirement days watching Netflix’s hit series, The Crown . In fact, inside sources revealed that Her Majesty is a huge fan of the show , which documents the early years of her reign.
It isn’t known if Queen Elizabeth actually watches the series, but she did give a slight nod to the show during her Christmas speech. In Season 2, the show explores Elizabeth’s public communications woes and how Lord Altrincham thought televising her Christmas speech would help her out. In her real Christmas speech, Elizabeth talked about how she has gotten better at addressing an audience and how technology played a role in her evolution as a presenter.
