Parliamentary deadlock over Theresa May's Brexit deal - which will be voted on by MPs next month - has led to growing calls for a second referendum, which May and Leave supporting MPs have warned would further divide the nation and lead to political chaos.
While Buckingham Palace is always quick to deny political motives behind anything the Queen says, she has in the past used subtle comments to influence the public's thinking on political matters.
On the eve of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, the Queen remarked to a member of the public after a church service that "I hope people will think very carefully about the future".
The comment was picked up by the media and it later transpired that the supposedly off the cuff remark had been scripted by the then Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and the Queen's then private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt to leave no doubt which side of the debate she was on.
Wearing a brooch given to her by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1966, the Queen will also speak fondly of those from whom she draws "strength and encouragement"
"Through the many changes I have seen over the years, faith, family and friendship have been not only a constant for me but a source of personal comfort and reassurance," she will say.
In the broadcast, recorded in Buckingham Palace's white drawing room, the monarch will share a message from Jesus that she considers especially important to highlight at Christmas.
She will say: "I believe His message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone; it's needed as much as ever."
The address is written by the Queen and traditionally emphasises her own Christian faith, as well as reflecting on current issues and draws on her own experiences over the past year.
While some may speculate that the words on conflict could apply equally to her own family, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Duke and Duchess of Sussex moving apart next year to live separately after rumours of disquiet between them, the Queen is, as ever, speaking to the nation and Commonwealth as a whole.
Royal highlights of 2018 range from the weddings of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, the birth of Prince Louis and Lena Tindall, and the 70th birthday celebrations of the Prince of Wales.
In October, the Queen made her first comment on Brexit in a speech at a state banquet, telling the King of the Netherlands that "as we look toward a new partnership with Europe", the values shared by the UK and Holland "are our greatest asset.
In July, she also hosted President Donald Trump for an official visit to Windsor Castle.
During the broadcast, produced this year by Sky News, the Queen wears an Angela Kelly ivory silk cocktail dress and her gold Scarab brooch, with ruby and diamond embellishments, a 1966 gift from the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen is sitting at a desk featuring a framed black and white photograph taken in 1948 of herself as a young Princess Elizabeth, along with Prince Philip and a baby Prince Charles.
The Queen's annual Christmas message will be broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day.
At a glance: The Queen's Speech
The Queen's Speech is a keynote of the current ceremony for the State Opening of Parliament, which dates back to 1852.
In general it is an occasion of pomp and pageantry, with a cavalry parade. However, this year's ceremony requires the Queen to rush from another engagement in order to reopen Parliament and is expected to be far more low-key.
The speech itself is written by government ministers and outlines the policies they plan to bring into law during the following Parliamentary session.
The Queen is briefly refused entrance to the Commons, in order to signify the independence of Parliament. She then delivers her speech to gathered MPs and Lords from Parliament's throne. Afterwards, the Prime Minister gives what is called the "Humble Speech" which formally puts the announced policies before the House for initial discussion.
In general there is a Queen's Speech every year. However, the government is seeking to cancel 2018's speech as it will then be engaged in Brexit negotiations. The speech has been postponed before – the Conservative–Lib Dem coalition cancelled the event in 2011, arguing that its legislative plans were too ambitious to be contained in just one session.
This article originally appeared on the Daily Telegraph.
