Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and Prime Minister Boris Johson spoke on the phone in the wake of an EU trade deal being reached on Christmas Eve. The court circular on Monday confirmed the conversation had taken place on December 24, with several royal watchers tweeting the news.
Editor of Majesty Magazine, Joe Little tweeted: “Twas the afternoon before Christmas, but HM takes a telephone call from her British prime minister in the wake of the #Brexit deal.”
Retweeting a story he had written about the number of royal engagements the Windsors carried out in 2020, Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer tweeted: “Boris Johnson had an audience with the Queen by phone on Christmas Eve, the Court Circular records today. So add another one to the tally.”
As head of state, the Queen holds weekly audiences with Britain’s prime ministers and has done so throughout her 68-year reign.
Mr Johnson is her 14th prime minister and during the pandemic, they have conducted their conversations over the phone.
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The contents of the Queen’s audiences with the PM are always kept private as the Queen is prevented from expressing any political views.
The Queen’s stance on Brexit has been a closely-guarded secret since the referendum and is unlikely to ever be disclosed despite speculation.
Nonetheless, one royal commentator has claimed the Queen will have been glad that a deal was finally agreed and a no-deal Brexit avoided.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk: “Conversations between the Queen and her Prime Ministers remain private.”
On Monday EU ambassadors unanimously approved the provisional application of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a spokesman for the German EU Council presidency confirmed.
This year the Queen’s Christmas Day speech praised diversity and called for unity during these tumultuous times.
The Queen’s administrative base was moved from Buckingham Palace to Windsor during the first lockdown as she is unlikely to ever return to London full time.
Since his retirement in 2017, Prince Philip has spent most of his time at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate.
But he has been living with the Queen for most of the pandemic and is likely to remain at her side until the crisis subsides.
While the Queen and Philip stayed away from Sandringham this Christmas two royal families spent the holiday in Norfolk nonetheless.
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William escaped London with their three children ahead of Tier 4 coming into force and are currently staying at Anmer Hall.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward also spent Christmas near Sandringham with their two children Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James, Viscount Severn, 13.
