Queen Elizabeth spoke out on Friday to deliver her annual Christmas message, telling the public that they are “not alone.”

The 94 year-old Queen typically talks about her own family’s milestone as she is surrounded by family photos. This year, however, she did not talk about her family at all, and only had a photo of her 99 year-old husband Prince Philip behind her. Instead of making the speech about the royal family, the Queen focused on shared sentiments of hope.

“Every year we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights. And light does more than create a festive mood — light brings hope,” the Queen said. “For Christians, Jesus is ‘the light of the world,’ but we can’t celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way.”

“People of all faiths have been unable to gather as they would wish for their festivals, such as Passover, Easter, Eid, and Vaisakhi. But we need life to go on,” she added. “Last month, fireworks lit up the sky around Windsor, as Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, providing joyous moments of hope and unity — despite social distancing.”

The Queen went on to say that while this year has kept us apart physically, it’s brought us closer together in other ways.

“Across the Commonwealth, my family and I have been inspired by stories of people volunteering in their communities, helping those in need,” she said. “This year, we celebrated International Nurses’ Day, on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. As with other nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale shone a lamp of hope across the world.”

“Today, our front-line services still shine that lamp for us — supported by the amazing achievements of modern science – and we owe them a debt of gratitude,” the Queen continued. “We continue to be inspired by the kindness of strangers and draw comfort that – even on the darkest nights — there is hope in the new dawn.”

The Queen also said that her faith and “sense of purpose” has helped her through this year.

“Of course, for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness: some mourning the loss of those dear to them, and others missing friends and family members distanced for safety, when all they’d really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand. If you are among them, you are not alone, and let me assure you of my thoughts and prayers,” the Queen said.

“The Bible tells how a star appeared in the sky, its light guiding the shepherds and wise men to the scene of Jesus’s birth. Let the light of Christmas — the spirit of selflessness, love and above all hope —  guide us in the times ahead. It is in that spirit that I wish you a very happy Christmas,” she concluded.

🎄📺 “In the United Kingdom and around the world, people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year, and I am so proud and moved by this quiet, indomitable spirit.”

In her 2020 broadcast, The Queen reflects on acts of kindness during this extraordinary year. pic.twitter.com/iKa67aZEUZ

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 25, 2020

The royal family’s traditional Christmas celebration at Sandringham was cancelled this year, and the Queen instead spent the holiday at Windsor Castle with Philip, connecting with the rest of her family virtually.

“The family is planning Zoom calls and games online because they can’t all spend Christmas at Sandringham together like they normally do,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “Everyone is on better terms and have been for quite some time. The relationship has improved and COVID has brought everyone closer together.”