Quote of the Day by Queen Elizabeth II: ‘It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind…’

A woman caring for a sick parent, a teacher staying late for a struggling child, or someone fighting an unfair system can seem to be doing something small. Yet history is often changed by precisely these acts of patience, care and persistence. The harder question is why qualities so easily dismissed as gentle or ordinary can matter so much in a world built around power and progress.

That tension was at the heart of a message Queen Elizabeth II delivered in her 1966 Christmas Broadcast, when she reflected on the changing role of women and the struggles they had helped confront.

Quote of the Day by Queen Elizabeth II: ‘It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind. The struggles against inhuman prejudice, against squalor, ignorance, and disease, have always owed a great deal to the determination and tenacity of women’

Why Queen Elizabeth II’s quote on women and compassion matters today

Progress is generally discussed in terms of invention, power, and success. We recall the new invention, political successes and scientific discoveries. Progress is also achieved silently, by people who take care of other people, who combat discrimination, who educate, who heal and persist when change comes slowly.

In 1966, Queen Elizabeth II made this observation at a time when women were achieving new prominence in British politics. She pointed out that women won the right to vote in Britain less than 50 years ago and that women had already done much in fighting discrimination, poverty, ignorance and disease.

What Queen Elizabeth II’s quote means in real life

There is no indication of weakness in the quoted statement, and it rather associates care with strength. A nurse attending a patient, a mother bringing up a child, a teacher assisting a student, and a reformer opposing injustice can seem to perform completely different actions, but all of them can be helpful in making the world a more humane place.


This was also the general thought expressed by Elizabeth II in her 1966 broadcast, when she noted that the dedication of nuns and nurses, mothering and wifehood of mothers and wives, teaching by teachers, and the commitment of reformers were the actions women had made for society. What is remarkable about this message is its emphasis on the need to pay attention to something else besides outstanding accomplishments.

About Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London. She became queen on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI, and remained monarch until her death on September 8, 2022. She was succeeded by her son, Charles III.

Her reign lasted more than seven decades and included enormous political, technological and social changes. She delivered her first Christmas Broadcast in 1952 and continued the tradition almost every year. The Royal Family notes that the broadcasts became a way for her to reflect on issues affecting both the monarchy and the wider public.

Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy

Elizabeth II's 1966 Christmas message is notable because it addressed women's changing place in society rather than focusing only on royal or ceremonial matters. She acknowledged the barriers women had faced while pointing to their growing opportunities to participate in public life.

The words also outlived the broadcast itself. In 2022, during parliamentary tributes following her death, the quote was recalled in the House of Commons as part of reflections on Elizabeth II as a female leader and role model.