Even The Official Who Wrote The Covid Rules Didn’t Stick To Them

The number of alleged rule-breaking Whitehall parties has now reached 15 after the official who wrote the Covid rules admitted she failed to comply with them.

Kate Josephs, the former director of the government’s Covid taskforce, has apologised for holding an office drinks party when indoor socialising was banned.

She took to Twitter to say she is “truly sorry” for gathering with colleagues for alcoholic drinks in her office in the Cabinet Office to mark her leaving the civil service on December 17 2020.

Josephs, who describes herself in her Twitter bio as a “proud public servant”, is now the chief executive of Sheffield City Council.

The decision to hold a workplace gathering in Whitehall appeared to go against the official advice at the time.

According to The Telegraph, “dozens” of officials from the Cabinet Office’s Covid-19 taskforce attended the event, while the country was in lockdown.

Including Thursday’s revelations about two events involving drinks and dancing the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral – and the apparent purchase of enough wine to fill a suitcase – the total number of gatherings being investigated is up to 15.

On that same day, the government’s official Twitter feed replied to a query asking if employers could hold Christmas parties at the end of the working day.

It said: “Hi Mick, although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”

On Friday, Josephs tweeted a statement apologising for what happened.

She said: “As people know I previously worked in the Cabinet Office Covid Taskforce where I was director general from July 2020 to December 18, 2020.

“I have been cooperating fully with the Cabinet Office investigations and I do not want to pre-empt the findings of the investigation.

“However as chief executive of Sheffield City Council I am responsible for leading the organisation and working with partners across the city and region to support our covid response and recovery.

“That is why I have decided to make a statement.

“On the evening of 17 December, I gathered with colleagues that were at work that day, with drinks, in our office in the Cabinet Office, to mark my leaving the Civil Service.

“I am truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result. Sheffield has suffered greatly during this pandemic, and I apologise unreservedly.

“The specific facts of this event will be considered in the context of the Cabinet Office investigation. I did not attend any events at 10 Downing St.

“I am grateful for the ongoing support of colleagues and partners and need now to ask that people allow the Cabinet Office to complete its investigation.

“I will not be able to respond to any further questions until the Cabinet Office investigation is complete.”

Sheffield City Council leader Terry Fox said the chief executive has discussed with him what happened and apologised face-to-face.

He said: “To be honest I need to express my deep disappointment – people will rightly feel angry and let down. I get that completely.

“After everything that Sheffield has been through during the pandemic, this is news that we did not want to receive.

“Over the last year, Kate’s been an asset to our city and she is working tirelessly for Sheffield and it’s people.

“Our residents will understandably have questions and concerns, and we await the findings of the investigation.”

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Police Won’t Investigate ‘BYOB’ Party Unless Sue Gray Finds Evidence Of Potential Crime

The Met Police has confirmed the force will not investigate the spate of alleged rule-breaking Whitehall parties unless a Cabinet Office inquiry identifies evidence of potentially criminal behaviour.

It comes a day after Boris Johnson admitted attending a “bring your own booze” gathering in the garden of No 10 during England’s first lockdown – although he insisted he believed it had been a “work event”.

On Thursday, Scotland Yard indicated it will wait to see if Sue Gray’s probe finds wrongdoing before launching any investigation into the parties across SW1.

A spokesman said: “The Metropolitan Police Service is aware of widespread reporting relating to alleged breaches of the Health Protection Regulations at Downing Street and Department for Education on various dates and has received correspondence in relation to this reporting.

“Throughout the pandemic the Met has followed the national four Es approach of enforcing the Coronavirus Regulations.

“Where live ongoing breaches of the restrictions were identified, officers engaged with those present, explained the current restrictions, encouraged people to adhere to them, and only as a last resort moved to enforcement.

“In line with the Met’s policy, officers do not normally investigate breaches of Coronavirus Regulations when they are reported long after they are said to have taken place. However, if significant evidence suggesting a breach of the regulations becomes available, officers may review and consider it.

“The Cabinet Office is conducting an inquiry into gatherings at Number 10 Downing Street and the Department for Education.

“The Met has ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office in relation to this inquiry. If the inquiry identifies evidence of behaviour that is potentially a criminal offence it will be passed to the Met for further consideration.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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Prince Andrew Officially Stripped Of All Military Titles And Royal Patronages

The filing says that Andrew’s alleged “sexual assault and battery of Plaintiff have caused her, and continue to cause her, significant emotional and psychological distress and harm.”

Giuffre issued a statement to ABC News alongside her federal court filing last year.

“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me,” she said at the time. “The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.”

“I did not come to this decision lightly,” she added. “As a mother and a wife, my family comes first — and I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates — but I knew if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down.”

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Three Tory MPs Call On Boris Johnson To Quit

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has become the first Tory MP to call on Boris Johnson to quit as prime minister following his “partygate” apology.

It came after Johnson on Wednesday admitted attending a “bring your own booze” gathering in the garden of No 10 during England’s first lockdown – although he insisted he believed it had been a “work event”.

Ross told Sky News: “Regrettably, I have to say his position is no longer tenable. I spoke to the prime minister this afternoon and I set out my reasons and I explained to him my position.”

Ross said he will write to the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs to express no confidence in Johnson’s leadership.

Tory MPs William Wragg and Sir Roger Gale later joined Ross in suggesting Johnson should exit No.10.

Other Scottish Tories followed Ross’s lead and joined the chorus calling for a resignation.

What Tory MPs are saying

Asked if he thought the PM should resign Douglas Ross told STV News: “I made that clear. There was one simple question to answer yesterday, indeed from Monday night when we saw this invitation which was to more than 100 people asking them to join others in the Downing Street garden and bring their own booze.

“If the prime minister was there, and he accepted today that he was then I felt he could not continue.

“What we also heard from the prime minister today was an apology and he said with hindsight he would have done things differently, which for me is an acceptance from the prime minister that it was wrong and therefore, I don’t want to be in this position, but I am in this position now, where I don’t think he can continue as leader of the Conservatives.”

He added: “I spoke to the prime minister this afternoon and I set down my reasons and I explained to him my position.”

Chairman of the public affairs and constitutional affairs committee and Tory MP for Hazel Grove, William Wragg, has said the prime minister’s position is “untenable”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that: “A series of unforced errors are deeply damaging to the perception of the party.

“The prime minister’s position is untenable.”

Veteran Tory MP Sir Roger Gale said the PM “misled the House” about rule-breaking parties and should resign.

“I think the time has come for either the PM to go with dignity as his choice, or for the 1922 committee to intervene.”

The powerful backbench Tory 1922 Committee was holding a regular meeting on Wednesday, with the prime minister’s future hanging in the balance.

The Scottish Conservatives’ Covid recovery spokesman at Holyrood, Murdo Fraser, has joined the calls. After Ross stated that Johnson should resign, Fraser tweeted: “I fully support @Douglas4Moray in this call.

“I’m afraid the prime minister’s position is no longer tenable, he has lost public trust, and in the interests of the country and the Conservative Party he should step down.”

Scottish Conservative finance spokeswoman Liz Smith also tweeted: “I note that the media believe @Douglas4Moray Ross has made a brave call. He has also made the right call.”

In the Commons, Johnson said that he attended the May 20 2020 gathering for around 25 minutes to “thank groups of staff” but “with hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside”.

The prime minister acknowledged public anger, saying: “I know the rage they feel with me and with the government I lead when they think in Downing Street itself the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules.”

He said an inquiry was examining the situation but accepted “there were things we simply did not get right and I must take responsibility”.

<img class="img-sized__img landscape" loading="lazy" alt="Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.” width=”720″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/three-tory-mps-call-on-boris-johnson-to-quit-2.jpg”>
Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor via PA Media

Downing Street refused to say whether his then fiancee Carrie Symonds had attended the gathering, if Johnson had noticed tables laden with food and drink or if he had brought a bottle of his own into the garden.

All such questions were a matter for senior official Sue Gray’s inquiry, the prime minister’s press secretary told reporters.

But she insisted Johnson had not been sent the invitation email from his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds encouraging colleagues to “bring your own booze” to the garden.

At just after 6pm on the day of the event, the time the invitation had specified for people to gather to “make the most of the lovely weather”, Johnson went into the garden to thank staff for their efforts and stayed for 25 minutes.

“I believed implicitly that this was a work event,” he said.

“With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside.

“I should have found some other way to thank them.

“I should have recognised that even if it could be said technically to fall within the guidance, there are millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way, people who have suffered terribly, people who were forbidden for meeting loved ones at all inside or outside, and to them and to this House I offer my heartfelt apologies.”

Johnson’s press secretary insisted that he was not a liar and “he is not resigning”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also called on the prime minister to resign.

He added: “The party’s over, prime minister.

“The only question is will the British public kick him out, will his party kick him out, or will he do the decent thing and resign?”

The embattled prime minister also faced calls to quit from the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.

Hannah Brady, from the campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said that, if Johnson does not step down, then his MPs have a “moral duty” to remove him.

Her father Shaun Brady, 55, died just a few days before the “bring your own booze” event and his death certificate was signed on the day it was held.

The Commons chamber was packed in anticipation of Johnson’s first public response to the leaked email about the May 20 2020 event although Chancellor Rishi Sunak, viewed as a potential successor as Tory leader, was notably absent on a visit to Devon.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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UK Daily Covid Cases Fall For Second Day In A Row

The number of UK daily Covid cases has fallen for a second day in a row.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 179,756 as of 9am on Thursday, and a further 231 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On Tuesday, 218,724 infections were reported – a record high – and fell to 194,747 on Wednesday.

Cases in the last seven days
Cases in the last seven days

UK Government

It comes as Boris Johnson said hospitals will be offered increased support to deal with the “very difficult circumstances” they face, as he encouraged more people to take up the offer of a booster jab.

The prime minister said that “perhaps 30-40%” of the 17,000 patients in hospital with Covid “haven’t actually been vaccinated at all” as he urged the public to “behave sensibly” in the face of high daily Omicron cases.

Both Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak made visits to vaccination centres on Thursday as ministers made a fresh push for people to come forward for their third coronavirus vaccination dose.

Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to Northamptonshire, the prime minister said: “What we’ve got to do is make sure that people understand the pressures that Omicron is causing.

“And the way to deal with it is for everybody to stick to Plan B, which we are, make sure that they behave sensibly, but also recognise the vital importance of vaccination.

“When you look at what’s happening to patients coming into hospital, a large number of them, perhaps 30-40% of them, haven’t actually been vaccinated at all.

“And that’s increasingly true of people who go into ICU, into intensive care – the large majority of them have not been vaccinated at all, and the overwhelming majority of them have not been boosted.”

The Conservative Party leader said that, as well as “increasing support massively” to struggling hospitals – including by helping trusts to source extra staff while dealing with high proportions of the workforce being in self-isolation – a key target was to “make sure that the people who are likely to get ill get vaccinated first”.

Hitting out at anti-vaxxers for posting “mumbo jumbo” on social media, Johnson added: “The saddest words in the English language are too late – when you’re in ICU, and you haven’t been vaccinated, sadly it’s too late to get vaccinated. So get boosted now.”

A total of 247,478 booster and third doses of Covid-19 vaccine were reported across the UK on Wednesday, new figures show, with around 65% of all adults in the UK having now received a booster or third dose.

However, fewer than half of all adults in some of the biggest cities in England are among those to receive a top-up jab.

Figures published by NHS England, accounting for vaccinations delivered up to January 2, estimate that in Liverpool, 49.1% of all people aged 18 and over have had a third jab, along with 46.9% in Birmingham, 45.7% in Manchester and 42.8% in Nottingham.

It is understood that 17 hospital trusts in England currently have critical incidents – an alert to signal that there are fears priority services cannot be safely delivered – as hospitals are confronted by a wave of Omicron admissions.

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Ethics Chief Accepts Boris Johnson’s ‘Humble and Sincere Apology’ Over Mislaid WhatsApps

Boris Johnson has been forced to issue a “humble and sincere apology” for mislaying texts about his flat makeover.

In letters published on Thursday, Johnson earned a strong rebuke from his own ethics adviser, Christopher Geidt, for his failure to disclose messages between himself and Tory donor David Brownlow, who contributed £52,000 towards the refurbishment of his flat above 11 Downing Street.

However, he said he stood by his original findings in May that Johnson had not broken the ministerial code.

“The new disclosure did not in fact result in change to my original assessment of your interests insofar as they related to the ministerial code,” he said.

In his report into the flat refurbishment published in May, Geidt reported that Johnson said he did not know that Brownlow had donated the £52,000 from his own pocket until shortly before media reports circulated in February 2021.

However, a separate probe into the flat makeover by the Electoral Commission discovered that Johnson had in fact messaged Brownlow over WhatsApp about the revamp in November 2020.

In a sharply-worded letter, Geidt told the prime minister that his failure to disclose the texts exposed a “signal deficiency in the standards upon which the independent adviser and, by extension, the prime minister have an absolute right to rely in establishing the truth in such matters”.

He added: “Indeed, the episode shook my confidence precisely because potential and real failures of process occurred in more than one part of the apparatus of government.

“I am very grateful to have your apology for these shortcomings and to know of your determination to prevent such a situation from happening again.”

What the texts to Brownlow said

Johnson described parts of his Downing Street flat as “a bit of a tip” as he solicited authorisation for renovations to his official residence

The WhatsApp messages show the PM trying to hurry Brownlow to give the go-ahead as he was “keen” for luxury interior designer Lulu Lytle to progress the work.

On November 29 2020, the prime minister wrote: “Hi David I am afraid parts of our flat are still a bit of a tip and am keen to allow Lulu Lytle to get on with it. Can I possibly ask her to get in touch with you for approvals?”

Later that day, Brownlow replied: “Sorry for the delay I was out for a walk and didn’t have my ‘work’ phone with me. Of course, get Lulu to call me and we’ll get it sorted ASAP!”

He subsequently added: “I should have said, as the Trust isn’t set up yet (will be in January) approval is a doddle as it’s only me and I know where the £ will come from, so as soon as Lulu calls we can crack on.”

In his letter to Geidt, dated December 21, Johnson offered a “sincere and humble apology” for his failure to submit the texts to his investigation, which he said was due to a change in his phone number that meant that he “did not have access to my previous device and did not recall the message exchange”.

And he said it was “unacceptable” that the Cabinet Office did not inform Geidt of the existence of the messages.

He said Brownlow had offered to share the messages with the Cabinet Office but that the department had felt this was inappropriate to receive them while the commission carried out its investigation.

“It is unacceptable that the Cabinet Office did not at the very least inform you of the position they had taken,” the prime minister said.

Following the letter exchange Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner accused Johnson of breaking the ministerial code and of offering “pathetic excuses”.

“Boris Johnson has little regard for the rules or the truth,” she said.

“The ministerial code requires ministers to act with transparency and honesty.

“It is simply impossible to read these exchanges and conclude that the prime minister has not breached these aspects of the code.

“Once again, by attempting to hide the truth, Boris Johnson undermines his own office.

“The prime mInister’s pathetic excuses will fool no-one and this is just the latest in a long line of sorry episodes.”

How did we get here?

The Geidt report centres on a row over how the prime minister’s flat above 11 Downing Street was funded.

Reports suggest that the final bill may have topped £200,000, but with the PM only receiving an annual grant of £30,000 for such renovations, the remaining sum needed to be made up somewhere.

Enter Tory peer and donor David Brownlow, who was found to have made a £52,000 donation go help transform the flat — from a so-called “John Lewis nightmare” into a luxury Lulu Lytle abode.

However, Johnson originally failed to declare the donation in line with parliamentary rules, leading critics to demand an investigation over fears of a conflict of interest.

Two probes were then kicked off: one by the Electoral Commission and one by Geidt himself.

What did the Geidt report initially say?

In his initial investigation into the flat makeover in May 2021, Geidt found that Johnson had “acted unwisely” by commissioning it without full knowledge of how it would be paid for, but cleared the PM of a conflict of interest.

He said Johnson did not breach the ministerial code by failing to declare the donation, and noted that this was eventually done by the prime minister — even if late.

Geidt also said that Johnson appeared not to be aware Lord Brownlow had contributed from his own pocket, saying he was told by the PM that he “knew nothing about such payments until immediately prior to media reports in February 2021”.

Why are we talking about wallpaper gate again?

Geidt was forced to take another look at the flat saga after central findings he came to appeared to be contradicted by the Electoral Commission’s parallel probe.

The commission fined the Conservative party nearly £18,000 for failing to properly report a donation of £67,801.72 from Brownlow’s Huntswood Associates Limited in October 2020, including £52,801.72 connected to the costs of refurbishment to 11 Downing Street.

It also revealed that Johnson sent Brownlow a WhatsApp message in November 2020 requesting additional money for the refurb, in an apparent contradiction of what he told Geidt last May.

Geidt was reportedly left furious that the Whatsapp exchange had not been submitted to his investigation and was potentially on the verge of resigning.

According to the Sun, Johnson has blamed a change in his mobile phone number — after it was made freely available online — for the non-disclosure of the messages with Brownlow.

Following the findings, Downing Street denied that Johnson misled the ethics adviser over the refurb and claimed: “Lord Brownlow did not make a decision about becoming the person to cover the costs until after that exchange.”

It alleged Johnson was asking for a “blind trust” when he sent the texts.

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UK Daily Covid Cases Top 200,000 For The First Time

The number of UK daily Covid cases has reached another record high – topping 200,000 for the first time.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 218,724 as of 9am on Tuesday, and a further 48 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On New Year’s Eve, 189,846 infections were reported – the previous high.

Tuesday’s figures contain some delayed reporting of cases because of the holiday period.

It comes as the NHS is facing significant pressure as it copes with the latest wave of Covid-19 despite hopes that cases should start to drop in the coming weeks.

Boris Johnson will lead a Downing Street press conference as No 10 admitted that the health service is facing a “difficult time” during a “challenging winter”.

But health secretary Sajid Javid said there was nothing in the data that suggested England needed to move beyond the current Plan B restrictions.

“I think Plan B, implementing that, has been the right approach and also being absolutely focused on the vaccination programme,” he told reporters during a visit to a vaccination centre in south London.

Officials in Whitehall are keeping an “extremely close eye” on hospital capacity, with admissions and occupancy “increasing significantly”, Downing Street said.

But the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We’re not seeing that same jump in beds requiring ventilation, which is pleasing, and almost certainly a function of both the nature of Omicron and our successful booster programme.”

He added that the vaccinations and “evidence that Omicron may be milder” means “we are not seeing those huge waves in cases translate into those needing the most serious care that we saw perhaps in previous waves, but that still puts the NHS under significant pressure”.

The government has stuck with the Plan B measures in place in England – including wearing masks in shops and on public transport and working from home where possible – despite tougher restrictions in other parts of the UK.

That optimism may be helped by comments from Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, whose data was instrumental to the UK going into lockdown in March 2020, who said infection rates may already be plateauing in London and could fall across the country within weeks.

Prof Ferguson, a member of the government’s Sage scientific advisory panel, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I would say that, with an epidemic which has been spreading so quickly and reaching such high numbers, it can’t sustain those numbers forever, so we would expect to see case numbers start to come down in the next week, maybe already coming down in London, but in other regions a week to three weeks.

“Whether they then drop precipitously, or we see a pattern a bit like we saw with Delta back in July of an initial drop and then quite a high plateau, remains to be seen.

“It’s just too difficult to interpret current mixing trends and what the effect of opening schools again will be.”

Prof Ferguson said the Omicron variant had not had much time to infect pupils before schools shut for the Christmas break, and a rise in cases is now expected.

Meanwhile, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, told Sky News it would not be “affordable, sustainable or deliverable” to give regular jabs every six months to cope with waning immunity and the rise of new variants.

“Remember that, today, less than 10% of people in low-income countries have even had their first dose, so the whole idea of regular fourth doses globally is just not sensible,” he said.

Sir Andrew said it may be that future boosters could be targeted at the most vulnerable and it is too early to say whether updated vaccines will be required every year, as with flu.

Downing Street said ministers will also be taking clinical advice and keeping a “very close eye on” the “waning efficacy of second doses and the interplay of Omicron on that as well” as part of a review on whether to make a booster jab a requirement to access a Covid pass.

Elsewhere, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the staffing situation in hospitals is “almost impossible” as leaders try to manage their resources.

He told Times Radio that, for many, “the most pressing element of all” is the number of staff who are absent due to Covid.

He added that hospital admissions seem to have “perhaps plateaued in London or there may be a second peak after the new year now, but it’s rising across the rest of Britain”.

Meanwhile, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said at least “half a dozen” NHS hospitals have declared a critical incident as they try to respond to Covid.

Morecambe Bay NHS Trust and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were among those declaring critical incidents.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, public health director for Lancashire County Council, told Today: “Lancashire is beginning to experience what London did at the beginning of last month and, of course, London is better resourced and the infrastructures are well organised compared to other regions, so we are bracing ourselves for a tsunami of Omicron cases in Lancashire.”

Javid said it was a “fast-moving situation” but the NHS was getting “a huge amount of support” to cope with staff absences caused by the wave of coronavirus cases.

As well as volunteers the NHS is also “widely using an emergency list of workers that has been able to develop over the pandemic so far, and then call on clinicians and others that may have retired for example, to come back and help”, he said.

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Queen’s Touching Tributes To Philip In First Christmas Message Since His Death

The Queen is to deliver a particularly personal Christmas Day message, surrounded by reminders of her beloved late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, heartfelt decorations made by children and the sound of a choir.

This is the 95-year-old monarch’s first festive period without Philip, who died aged 99 in April.

Coronavirus restrictions at the time meant the Queen was forced to sit alone in St George’s Chapel for his funeral service.

In the message, the Queen is seen wearing a chrysanthemum brooch that she wore during her honeymoon in 1947 at Broadlands country house, Hampshire, and she is sat next to a framed picture of her and Philip.

It was taken at the same venue in 2007 to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.

A photograph released by Buckingham Palace ahead of her televised address to the nation shows the Queen wearing an embossed wool Christmas red shift dress, by British designer Angela Kelly, and sitting behind a desk in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

The Queen also wore the brooch, made from sapphires and diamonds set in platinum, in a photograph to mark the couple’s 73rd wedding anniversary last year.

She is sat in front of an illuminated Christmas tree that has been decorated with more than 100 white and gold stars, which were specially made by the children and staff of The Royal School, Windsor.

The children eventually got to take the stars home as presents for their parents and carers as they were returned to the school after the message was recorded. They were hung on the pupils’ Christmas tree until the end of term.

Those who tune into for the Queen’s message are set to hear a Christmas carol being performed by the Singology Community Choir, a group of singers who come together from across London to share in their passion for music. The choir was filmed in St George’s Hall, Windsor.

Viewers will hear the National Anthem being played by The Central Band of the Royal British Legion in celebration of the organisation’s centenary.

Buckingham Palace announced the Queen had agreed to stage a service of thanksgiving for the life of the duke next spring, with the date and guestlist yet to be finalised.

The Queen is expected to be joined at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, having shelved her customary trip to Sandringham as a “precautionary” measure amid rising coronavirus cases.

The Sun reported she will be joined by 20 family members in all, including the Duke of York and his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex and five of her great-grandchildren.

Charles, Camilla, the Wessexes and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will attend a morning service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Clarence House said.

But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be spending Christmas in Norfolk and will be joined by some members of the Middleton family.

The monarch’s annual address marks the end of a year peppered with both joy and immense sadness.

The Queen welcomed four new great-grandchildren to the family – August to Princess Eugenie, Lucas to Zara Tindall, Lilibet to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Sienna to Princess Beatrice.

Harry and Meghan publicly released the first photo of Lilibet on Thursday, with the infant seen smiling as she is held aloft by her mother in the couple’s “family holiday” e-card.

sussex

The photograph, taken by Alexi Lubomirski at the couple’s Santa Barbara home in California, also shows the Queen’s grandson smiling at his daughter, while son Archie, two, sits on his father’s knee.

But there was also scandal this year, following Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with US chat show titan Oprah Winfrey in which they accused an unnamed royal of racism, as well as other allegations about the institution.

The royals also had to contend with allegations from Virginia Giuffre, who started legal action against the Duke of York for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. Andrew has repeatedly denied all claims.

And the monarch has faced her own health issues this year, when, in October, she was admitted to hospital overnight for preliminary investigations and ordered by her doctors to rest.

The Queen used her 2020 Christmas broadcast to deliver a heartfelt message of hope to the country, praising the “indomitable spirit” of those who had risen “magnificently” to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Queen’s address to the nation will be broadcast across multiple channels at 3pm on Christmas Day.

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UK Reports New Record Number Of Daily Covid Cases

The number of UK daily Covid cases is in six figures for the third time as another record high was reached.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 122,186 as of 9am on Thursday, and a further 137 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On Wednesday, recorded case rates of Covid across the UK rose above 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, new data has emerged showing that Covid infection levels have reached a new record high after a senior health official said findings that the Omicron variant is milder offer a “glimmer of Christmas hope”.

An estimated 1.7 million people in the UK had Covid-19 in the week ending December 19, the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The new interim data, published on Friday, also shows that around one in 35 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to December 19 – up from one in 45 in the seven days to December 16.

This is the highest estimate for England since the ONS began estimating community infection levels for England in May 2020, and is equivalent to around 1.5 million people.

The latest figures come after UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said data suggesting Omicron may be less likely to lead to serious illness than the Delta variant of coronavirus offers a “glimmer of Christmas hope”.

But she warned that it is too early to downgrade the threat from the new strain, which is still spreading rapidly across the UK.

Dr Harries told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that more information is needed, particularly about the impact on elderly and more vulnerable patients.

She added: “There is a glimmer of Christmas hope in the findings that we published yesterday, but it definitely isn’t yet at the point where we could downgrade that serious threat.”

The UKHSA estimates that someone with Omicron is between 31% and 45% less likely to attend A&E and 50% to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital than an individual with the Delta variant.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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UK Daily Covid Cases Hit 119,789 – Another Record High

The number of UK daily Covid cases has reached another record high.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 119,789 as of 9am on Thursday, and a further 147 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On Wednesday, recorded case rates of Covid across the UK rose above 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

It comes as Covid infection levels reached a record high in the UK – but the government maintained no further restrictions will be set out before Christmas.

An estimated 1.4 million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 16, the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The data emerged within hours of Sajid Javid telling broadcasters the government is not planning to make any more announcements on restrictions in England this week.

It follows a warning from NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis that the service is on a “war footing” as the Omicron variant sweeps through the country.

In other developments:

– Javid welcomed studies suggesting Omicron may cause less severe illness than earlier strains but he warned it could still lead to “significant” hospital admissions.

– The ONS said the percentage of people testing positive for Covid in the latest week is estimated to have increased in all regions of England except the north-east, south-west and West Midlands, where the trend is uncertain.

– New figures from NHS England showed one in five patients waited at least half-an-hour to be handed over from ambulance teams to A&E staff at hospitals in England last week.

In England, around one in 45 people in private households had Covid in the week to December 16, up from one in 60 the previous week, according to the latest ONS estimates.

Equivalent to about 1.2 million people, this is the highest number since the ONS began estimating infection levels for England in May 2020.

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