Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II delivered a short Easter message emphasizing the importance of continued social distancing to beat the coronavirus.
In the two-minute video which showed a single candle burning and was broadcast on the Royal Family’s social media networks Saturday, the monarch, 93, spoke in a resolute voice-over, declaring that “we know that coronavirus will not overcome us” and urging the importance of maintaining a government-mandated lockdown.
“This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe,” she said.
The message comes two days after the UK suffered its largest number of fatalities in a single 24-hour period, with 980 people dying of COVID-19 complications Thursday. Total coronavirus deaths are 9,875, and there are are 79,865 confirmed cases of the virus in the United Kingdom, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Although social distancing prevents Britons from attending Easter services, the Queen noted that “Easter isn’t cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever.”
“As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering with grief — light and life are greater,” she said. “May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future.”