God Rest Ye Merry, Royals

In her annual Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth II reflected on the loss of her husband, Prince Philip, BBC reported.

The Queen praised her consort, who died in April at 99, for “his sense of service, intellectual curiosity, and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation” and for his environmental activism.

“Even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas,” she said. The Queen celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle, COVID concerns having prevented her from spending the holiday at Sandringham as she usually does. The Queen was joined by Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, and other members of the royal family.

She was also nearly joined by an uninvited visitor, according to CNN. Police arrested a 19-year-old man who trespassed on castle grounds Christmas Day while carrying an “offensive weapon.”

Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears said in a statement that the suspect entered the grounds but did not gain access to any buildings. She also said that he is in custody and that the royal family has been informed of the incident.