LONDON, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in her Christmas message to the nation, said unity and hope can come from adversity.
In a speech recorded before her husband Prince Philip wound up in the hospital with a blocked coronary artery, the queen said the royal family was inspired by the courage shown by the people of the United Kingdom and others around the world, noting how people have shown resilience after earthquakes in New Zealand, flooding in Australia and a mining disaster in Wales, the BBC reported Sunday.
"Sadly, it seems that it is tragedy that often draws out the most and the best from the human spirit," she said.
"We've seen that it's in hardship that we often find strength from our families; it's in adversity that new friendships are sometimes formed; and it's in a crisis that communities break down barriers and bind together to help one another. Families, friends and communities often find a source of courage rising up from within."
