the queen harry meghan

The Queen shows gorgeous photo of baby Archie with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during speech

Merry Christmas from the Queen!

Deputy Online Editor
December 25, 2019

After a rollercaoster of a year, Her Majesty has wished the nation the happiest of Christmases in her annual televised speech. And whilst everyone stopped to listen to her message, viewers saw a photograph of her eighth great-grandchild, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The picture, which was released a few days after Archie's birth on 6 May, captured the moment the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh saw the royal baby for the first time as his proud parents and grandmother Doria Ragland looked on.

WATCH: The Queen's 2019 Christmas speech

The monarch was filmed in Windsor Castle's green drawing-room, where she sat sitting at a desk featuring photographs of some of her family with a large Christmas tree in the background. One other picture showed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - perched on and around a motorbike and sidecar, in an image that is known to have been used for the family's Christmas card.

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Other family photographs that can be seen on the desk include a portrait of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, which marked the 50th anniversary of Charles being invested as the Prince of Wales. There is also a black and white image of the Queen's father King George VI sending a message of hope and reassurance to the British people in 1944.

the queen speech christmas© Photo: Getty Images

The Queen picture in Windsor Castle's green drawing-room

Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan have been on a six-week break from royal duties and have been enjoying some private time with their family in Canada. They are thought to have travelled to the US at some point to visit the Duchess' mother Doria Ragland, who will spend the festive period with them. HELLO! understands this decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of the Queen. Similarly, the Prince William and Kate spent Christmas in Bucklebury with Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton in 2012 and 2016.

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