Queen’s image and message of hope light up Piccadilly Circus

A gigantic image of the Queen delivering her address to the nation has been displayed on London’s famous Piccadilly Lights.

The photo of the monarch appeared alongside quotes from her Sunday night broadcast on the coronavirus crisis.

The words read “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return”, before scrolling on to: “I want to thank everyone on the NHS front line, as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles.”

Usually one of London’s busiest tourist hotspots, the streets surrounding the Piccadilly Circus landmark were quiet on Wednesday when the Queen’s image appeared, as the nation remains in lockdown.

Just a few cars, red double-decker buses and a couple of cyclists and pedestrians were in the vicinity of the 780 square metre LED digital screen, near the so-called “Eros” statue.

An estimated 100 million people usually pass through Piccadilly Circus every year, making it one of the world’s prime advertising spaces.

The Circus’s large adverts have been a famous feature of central London since 1908 when they hosted the first Perrier advertisement which was created with lightbulbs.

In her rare televised address, the monarch warned the country “may have more still to endure”.

But the head of state said if we “remain united and resolute” in the face of the coronavirus outbreak “we will overcome it”.

She echoed the words of Forces’ sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn’s Second World War song, saying: “We will meet again.”