Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II delivers a special broadcast to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus outbreak.The Queen has promised the nation that better days are ahead, during a special address on Sunday.In a rare speech, she acknowledged the grief and financial hardships Britons are facing during the coronavirus pandemic.Echoing the words of the Vera Lynn wartime song, she said that “we will meet again”.

I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasinglychallenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruptionthat has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormouschanges to the daily lives of us all.

I want to thank everyone on the NHS front line, aswell as care workers and those carrying out essential roles, who selflesslycontinue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all.

I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you thatwhat you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer toa return to more normal times.

I also want to thank those of you who are staying athome, thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families thepain already felt by those who have lost loved ones.

Together we are tackling this disease, and I want toreassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.

I hope in the years to come everyone will be able totake pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after uswill say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

That the attributes of self-discipline, of quietgood-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country.The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present andour future.

The moments when the United Kingdom has come togetherto applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expressionof our national spirit; and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children.

Across the Commonwealth and around the world, we haveseen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others, be itthrough delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbours, orconverting businesses to help the relief effort.

And though self-isolating may at times be hard, manypeople of all faiths, and of none, are discovering that it presents anopportunity to slow down, pause and reflect, in prayer or meditation.

It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor tochildren who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their ownsafety.

Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense ofseparation from their loved ones.

But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is theright thing to do.

While we have faced challenges before, this one isdifferent. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a commonendeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassionto heal.

We will succeed — and that success will belong toevery one of us.

We should take comfort that while we may have morestill to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; wewill be with our families again; we will meet again.

But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishesto you all.