Brexit trade talks with the EU continue to go down to the wire, as both sides scramble to reach an agreement before the end of the month. The ongoing impasse and uncertainty over whether a deal will be struck has delayed the recording of the Queen’s annual Christmas speech, it has been claimed.
The Queen’s Christmas speech is usually filmed at the beginning of December, but an insider claims it has yet to be recorded.
The delay is believed to be surrounding uncertainty in the post-Brexit trade talks, with the monarch wanting to know what sort of relationship the country will have with the EU before recording the speech.
The source told : “Normally she films it in early December, certainly by the middle of the month, but this time it’s later than usual.
“There’s talk it could happen on Wednesday or Thursday.
“The country could be a very different place by then with us possibly leaving the EU without a deal.”
Buckingham Palace has not denied the report but said it would not comment on speculation about the broadcast.
The Queen is expected to focus on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in this year’s speech.
She is likely to touch upon how this Christmas will be markedly different to the norm, as many families celebrate the festivities apart due to social distancing rules.
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Usually, the Queen spends Christmas at her Sandringham estate, where she invites members of the Royal Family to join her for the festivities.
It has not yet been announced how other senior royals will spend the festive period.
Brexit talks with the EU resumed today after both sides confirmed on Sunday there had been sufficient progress for the negotiations to continue.
Boris Johnson spoke with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen where they both discussed the main sticking points.
The EU chief said earlier today there had been “movement” in the talks and negotiators had not exhausted all options.
The two sides did not agree a fresh deadline for reaching an agreement but one must be struck by December 31, which marks the end of the EU transition period.
