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The Queen's full speech in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic

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People
Transcript
00:00I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time.
00:05A time of disruption in the life of our country.
00:09A disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many,
00:15and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.
00:20I want to thank everyone on the NHS frontline,
00:24as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles,
00:29who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all.
00:37I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated
00:43and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times.
00:51I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home,
00:55thereby helping to protect the vulnerable,
00:59and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones.
01:06Together we are tackling this disease,
01:09and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute,
01:14then we will overcome it.
01:18I hope in the years to come, everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this
01:24challenge.
01:26And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.
01:32That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet, good-humoured resolve,
01:37and a fellow-feeling still characterise this country.
01:43The pride in who we are is not a part of our past.
01:48It defines our present and our future.
01:55The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers
02:01will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit,
02:06and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children.
02:14Across the Commonwealth and around the world,
02:16we have seen heartwarming stories of people coming together to help others,
02:21be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbours,
02:27or converting businesses to help the relief effort.
02:32And though self-isolating may at times be hard,
02:36many people of all faiths and of none are discovering that it presents an opportunity
02:43to slow down, pause and reflect in prayer or meditation.
02:50It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made in 1940, helped by my sister.
02:58We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes
03:04and sent away for their own safety.
03:08Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones.
03:16But now as then, we know deep down that it is the right thing to do.
03:23While we have faced challenges before, this one is different.
03:29This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour,
03:35using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal.
03:42We will succeed, and that success will belong to every one of us.
03:49We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return.
03:56We will be with our friends again.
03:59We will be with our families again.
04:01We will meet again.
04:04But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.
04:08Hebrews 919, you will be walking around for advantage of our own children.
04:09And Kim, who cares?
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