the queen's speech christmas

The Queen moves nation with 'beloved Philip' tribute in Christmas Day speech

The duke of edinburgh passed away in april, aged 99.

The Queen paid a moving tribute to her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh , as she delivered her annual Christmas message to the nation.

"Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why," she said. "But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world."

Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99 on 9 April, with a socially-distanced funeral taking place eight days after his death at St George's Chapel in Windsor.

READ:  Prince Charles and Camilla joined by the Wessexes and Gloucesters on Christmas Day - best photos

WATCH: The Queen pays tribute to Prince Philip in Christmas speech

Her Majesty spoke lovingly about her late husband, adding:  "His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him. But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas. 

"We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas. While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. Be it the singing of carols (as long as the tune is well known); decorating the tree; giving and receiving presents; or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s  no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines."

The Queen and Prince Philip's diamond wedding anniversary portrait

The Queen, 95, dressed in an embossed wool shift dress in Christmas red by Angela Kelly and the sapphire chrysanthemum brooch, spoke from the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. 

The then Princess Elizabeth wore the chrysanthemum brooch for a photocall on her honeymoon with the Duke of Edinburgh, at Broadlands, Hampshire in 1947. Her Majesty also wore the brooch in photographs taken at the same venue to mark their diamond wedding anniversary. 

A single photograph was placed next to the monarch as she recorded her speech, which showed an official portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip taken in 2007 at Broadlands, Hampshire to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.

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Her Majesty also gave special mentions to the new additions to her family this year, as she has welcomed four great-grandchildren in the past 12 months. 

"And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year," she said.

Princess Eugenie gave birth to her first child August in February, while Mike and Zara Tindall welcomed their third child, Lucas, in March. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the arrival of daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor in June, while Princess Beatrice had daughter, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, in September.

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Prince Charles and Camilla attended church in Windsor on Christmas Day

The Queen has spent Christmas Day at Windsor Castle for the second year running due to the pandemic. She was joined by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on the day. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent the festive period at their country abode, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk this year with the Middleton family. 

The monarch traditionally spends Christmas with members of her family at her Sandringham estate, which sees the royals out in force as they attend church on 25 December, but plans were cancelled amid rising COVID-19 cases.

The Queen usually remains at her Norfolk abode until the anniversary of her father King George VI's death on 6 February, which in 2022, will mark the 70th year of her reign.  

The Queen's speech in full:

"Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why. But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.

"His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at  the end as when I first set eyes on him. But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas. 

"We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas. While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. Be it the singing of carols (as long as the tune is well known); decorating the tree; giving and receiving presents; or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s  no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.

The Wessexes at the church service in Windsor

"We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times. I see it in my own family and it is  a source of great happiness. 

"Prince Philip was always mindful of this sense of passing the baton. That's why he created The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which offers young people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond the chance of exploration and  adventure. It remains an astonishing success, grounded in his faith in the future.   

"He was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment; and I am proud beyond words that his pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William - admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine - most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow. 

"Next summer, we look forward to the Commonwealth Games. The baton is currently travelling the length and breadth of the Commonwealth, heading  towards Birmingham, a beacon of hope on its journey. It will be a chance to celebrate the achievements of athletes and the coming-together of like-minded nations.  

"And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to  enjoy a sense of togetherness; a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes  of the last seventy years - social, scientific and cultural - and also to look ahead  with confidence. 

"I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children. It's an engaging truth, but only half the story. Perhaps it's truer to say that Christmas can speak to the child within us all. Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not.  

"And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.  

"They teach us all a lesson - just as the Christmas story does - that in the birth of  a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential. It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing: simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus — a man  whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith. His birth marked a new beginning. As the  carol says, 'The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight'. 

"I wish you all a very happy Christmas."

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The Queen’s 2020 Christmas Speech in full, as monarch says ‘we need life to go on’ after crisis

The Queen has spent much of the pandemic apart from her family, secluded with Prince Phillip at Windsor Castle.

The Queen has said that life must “go on” and acknowledged national “sadness” in her annual Christmas address.

The head of state’s annual message was aired on Christmas Day, marking some of her first public reflections on the coronavirus crisis since a rare national address near the start of the pandemic in April.

In her Christmas Day speech, the monarch reflected that “a year that has necessarily kept people apart has, in many ways, brought us closer”, sending sympathies to those mourning loved ones.

She acknowledged that for many, “all they’d really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand”.

Quiet Christmas

With coronavirus restrictions sweeping across much of the country, the Royal Family’s Christmas traditions have largely been thrown out the window this year, with no trip to Sandringham or public church visit on the agenda.

Instead, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh opted to “spend Christmas quietly in Windsor.”

The Queen’s Christmas message in full:

Every year we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights. And light does more than create a festive mood – light brings hope.

For Christians, Jesus is ‘the light of the world’, but we can’t celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way. People of all faiths have been unable to gather as they would wish for their festivals, such as Passover, Easter, Eid and Vaisakhi. But we need life to go on.

Last month, fireworks lit up the sky around Windsor, as Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, providing joyous moments of hope and unity – despite social distancing.

Remarkably, a year that has necessarily kept people apart has, in many ways, brought us closer. Across the Commonwealth, my family and I have been inspired by stories of people volunteering in their communities, helping those in need.

In the United Kingdom and around the world, people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year, and I am so proud and moved by this quiet, indomitable spirit. To our young people in particular I say thank you for the part you have played.

This year, we celebrated International Nurses’ Day, on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. As with other nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale shone a lamp of hope across the world.

Today, our frontline services still shine that lamp for us – supported by the amazing achievements of modern science – and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

We continue to be inspired by the kindness of strangers and draw comfort that – even on the darkest nights – there is hope in the new dawn.

Jesus touched on this with the parable of the Good Samaritan. The man who is robbed and left at the roadside is saved by someone who did not share his religion or culture. This wonderful story of kindness is still as relevant today.

Good Samaritans have emerged across society showing care and respect for all, regardless of gender, race or background, reminding us that each one of us is special and equal in the eyes of God.

The teachings of Christ have served as my inner light, as has the sense of purpose we can find in coming together to worship.

In November, we commemorated another hero – though nobody knows his name. The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior isn’t a large memorial, but everyone entering Westminster Abbey has to walk around his resting place, honouring this unnamed combatant of the First World War – a symbol of selfless duty and ultimate sacrifice.

The Unknown Warrior was not exceptional. That’s the point. He represents millions like him who throughout our history have put the lives of others above their own, and will be doing so today. For me, this is a source of enduring hope in difficult and unpredictable times.

Of course, for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness: some mourning the loss of those dear to them, and others missing friends and family members distanced for safety, when all they’d really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand.

If you are among them, you are not alone, and let me assure you of my thoughts and prayers.

The Bible tells how a star appeared in the sky, its light guiding the shepherds and wise men to the scene of Jesus’s birth. Let the light of Christmas – the spirit of selflessness, love and above all hope – guide us in the times ahead.

It is in that spirit that I wish you a very happy Christmas.

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'Christmas can speak to the child within us all': Read the Queen's 2021 Christmas Day speech in full

By Jack Wright For Mailonline

Published: 10:07 EDT, 25 December 2021 | Updated: 10:08 EDT, 25 December 2021

View comments

The Queen has delivered her most personal Christmas message ever today.

Speaking from Windsor Castle, the 95-year-old monarch paid a moving tribute to her ‘beloved Philip’, who died aged 99 in April.

Remarking that ‘one familiar laugh (was) missing’ this festive season – her first without him in 73 years – she described how the Duke of Edinburgh ’s ‘mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him’.

The head of state also reached out to the millions of people affected by the pandemic, and those who have lost loved ones this year.

Read her entire Christmas Day message below.

The Queen has delivered her most personal Christmas message ever today. Speaking from Windsor Castle, the 95-year-old monarch paid a moving tribute to her ‘beloved Philip’, who died aged 99 in April 

The Central Band of the Royal British Legion performing during the broadcast in the grounds of Windsor Castle

The Singology Community Choir performing for the broadcast inside St George's Hall in Windsor Castle

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Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones.

This year, especially, I understand why.

But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.

His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible.

That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.

But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings – and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.

We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas.

While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions.

Be it the singing of carols – as long as the tune is well known – decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.

We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times.

I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness.

Prince Philip was always mindful of this sense of passing the baton.

That’s why he created The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which offers young people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond the chance of exploration and adventure.

It remains an astonishing success, grounded in his faith in the future.

He was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment, and I am proud beyond words that his pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William – admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine – most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow.

Next summer, we look forward to the Commonwealth Games.

The baton is currently travelling the length and breadth of the Commonwealth, heading towards Birmingham, a beacon of hope on its journey.

It will be a chance to celebrate the achievements of athletes and the coming-together of like-minded nations.

And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness, a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last 70 years – social, scientific and cultural – and also to look ahead with confidence.

I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children.

It’s an engaging truth, but only half the story.

Perhaps it’s truer to say that Christmas can speak to the child within us all.

Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not.

And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.

They teach us all a lesson – just as the Christmas story does – that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential.

It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing, simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus – a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith.

His birth marked a new beginning.

As the carol says: ‘The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.’

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Share or comment on this article: Read the Queen's 2021 Christmas Day speech in full 

God bless her majesty

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The Queen’s Speech: How Her Annual Christmas Broadcast Has Changed Over the Years

Every December 25, millions of people across the United Kingdom gather around their televisions to watch the Queen’s Christmas Broadcast (formally known as “Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech”). She speaks from her living room in Buckingham Palace, or sometimes Windsor Castle, for only a few minutes. But in those few minutes, she talks about herself, her family, and the Commonwealth. She may read a bible verse or a poem. And she ties it all together with a theme—reconciliation, service, inspiration—that reflects on the previous year and enlightens the next one.

This Christmas marks the Queen’s 67th speech. Speaking from the Green Room at Windsor Castle, she commemorated the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and also the necessity of overcoming divisions. "The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference," she said . Many interpreted these comments to address United Kingdom's current Brexit turmoil, as well as turmoil within the royal family. This year, the Duke of York stepped down from royal duties due to his ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly revealed they were struggling under the intense media spotlight, and Prince Philip was hospitalized before Christmas.

A lot has changed since the Queen’s first message from Sandringham to her one broadcast today. Below, some of the most significant speeches during her six-decade reign.

1952 was Queen Elizabeth’s first Christmas as Queen. It was also her first Christmas without her father. She made her first speech over the radio, sitting in his same chair and desk. (At that time, the speech was done at Sandringham. It would later switch to Buckingham Palace.)

“Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people,” she began . ”My father, and my grandfather before him, worked all their lives to unite our peoples ever more closely, and to maintain its ideals which were so near to their hearts. I shall strive to carry on their work.”

She ended with a request for prayer—not for the country, but for herself, on her Coronation Day that June. “You will be keeping it as a holiday; but I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me on that day—to pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve him and you, all the days of my life.”

Up until 1957, the Queen’s speech was audio only, both on radio and television. But thanks to some prodding by the BBC, and perhaps outspoken monarchy reformist Lord Altrincham , 1957 became the first year she televised her address. Richard Webber, head of outside broadcast at the time, wrote for The Guardian : “We asked the Palace if the Queen would consider reading the message live on television. She was a young monarch keen to enter into the spirit of the new era, and approved of the idea.”

That Christmas, at 3:00 p.m., people could see the Queen, her mannerisms, and inside her home. It’s often cited as one of the most important ways Queen Elizabeth has modernized the monarchy. But using a new medium presented unique challenges. “During her broadcast she refers to lines from John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress , and picks up a book from her desk. The lines were printed on a sheet of paper inserted inside the book,” Webber recalled. “However, in the run-through, the Queen quickly spotted that it wasn’t the right book and asked whether there was a copy in the library. Sure enough, there was. I’m sure viewers wouldn’t have noticed but full marks to the Queen for thinking about it.”

A new decade brought a new viewership record: More than 28 million people tuned into the Queen’s Christmas broadcast in 1980, which honored the Queen Mother’s 80th birthday.

After the divorces of three out of her four children and a terrible fire that destroyed much of Windsor Castle, the Queen called 1992 her “annus horribilis.” She spoke of her troubles in her annual Christmas message: “Like many other families, we have lived through some difficult days this year. The prayers, understanding, and sympathy given to us by so many of you, in good times and bad, have lent us great support and encouragement. It has touched me deeply that much of this has come from those of you who have troubles of your own.” Except, that year, most people already knew what she was going to say—British tabloid The Sun leaked her message two days early. The Queen sued, and was awarded 200,000 pounds in damages (which she promptly donated to charity).

1997 was the year Princess Diana died, a tragic event that the Queen was accused of mishandling (many thought she should have returned to London as soon as the news broke, rather than staying at Balmoral). Her emotional 1997 speech was meant to dispel that perception. “We all felt the shock and sorrow of Diana’s death. Thousands upon thousands of you expressed your grief most poignantly in the wonderful flowers and messages left in tribute to her,” she said, as the screen flashed pictures of flower tributes left in front of Buckingham and Kensington Palace. “That was a great comfort to all those close to her.” At 9 minutes and 50 seconds, it was the longest Christmas message ever by a British monarch.

It was also the first one to be posted on the Internet.

2016’s Christmas message focused on British Olympians and the small acts of greatness regular Brits do every day. But the real milestone of this speech wasn’t the text itself, but the technology: It was the first speech to be broadcast in 3-D.

The history of the Queen’s Christmas speech

• Tuesday 25 December 2018 at 2:46am

The Queen’s Christmas broadcast is a traditional feature of the festive season where the head of state can express her thoughts about the past year.

The monarch made her first Christmas broadcast live on the radio in 1952 – the year of her accession – and the annual message was first shown on TV in 1957.

She has made a Christmas Day speech every year except in 1969, when she decided the royals had been on TV enough after an unprecedented family documentary.

Instead, her greeting took the form of a written address.

The first televised broadcast was transmitted live from the Long Library at Sandringham, and the Queen told how she hoped “this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and more direct”.

The Queen’s first pre-recorded speech was in 1959.

The monarch – a consummate professional – usually completes her delivery in one take.

But footage from an ITV documentary earlier this year revealed that that her 2017 speech had to be re-recorded after a chirruping bird outside the palace window interrupted the proceedings.

In her 1991 message, the Queen silenced rumours of abdication as she pledged to continue to serve.

She also issued a writ against The Sun newspaper after it published the full text of her 1992 broadcast two days before transmission.

She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity.

The Queen’s grandfather, King George V, delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live on the radio from Sandringham in 1932.

He read a message composed by author Rudyard Kipling.

The original idea was suggested by Sir John Reith, the founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service, now the BBC World Service.

George V was at first unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless, but eventually agreed.

The fixed time of 3pm each year was chosen in 1932 because it was considered the best for reaching most of the countries in the British Empire by short wave.

King George V’s eldest son, who became King Edward VIII, never delivered a Christmas speech, as his reign lasted less than a year, ending in abdication.

King George VI, the Queen’s father and Edward’s brother, made his first broadcast in December 1937 in which he thanked the nation for their support during the first year of his reign.

There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 or 1938, and it was the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 that firmly established the tradition.

The speech is written by the Queen herself and is one of the rare occasions when she does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice her own views.

Each message has a strong religious framework and reflects current issues.

She chooses a theme, drawing sometimes on her own personal experiences and sometimes from global events such as wars, terrorist attacks or natural disasters.

In 2003, the Queen recorded her annual Christmas message entirely on location, away from a royal residence, for the first time.

With a military backdrop of armoured fighting vehicles at Combermere Barracks in Windsor, she paid tribute to British servicemen and women who had fought in the Iraq war.

The Queen sometimes watches her own speech alone on Christmas Day.

The Duke of York revealed the monarch can prefer to leave the room to scrutinise her work as the rest of the royal family gather around the television together at Sandringham on December 25.

Andrew recalled: “I do remember that sometimes the Queen watches it and sometimes sits in another room thinking ‘Has it come across in the right way?'”

He added: “As children we were always encouraged after lunch to behave ourselves and wait for the Queen’s message, because lunch would usually finish within one or 15 minutes of quarter to three, and three o’clock is the time we all sit down and watch it.”

The duke spoke of how other members of the royal family have taken part in the broadcast over the years.

“I think all of us have taken part in it in one form or another over the years,” he said.

During the Falklands War when the duke served as a helicopter pilot, Andrew and his fellow servicemen were the focus of the Queen’s 1982 message.

“The fact that the Queen, their Commander in Chief, had a concern and was thinking about what they’re doing, and as it were, was with them for those few minutes, gives you a tremendous buzz and a feel that ‘Oh we’ve been mentioned, we’ve been thought about’,” he told ITV.

The Queen's 10 most memorable Christmas messages - From 1952 to 'annus horribilis'

After confirmation of her death at the age of 96, Sky News looks back at 10 of the Queen's most memorable festive speeches from her seven decades on the throne.

Friday 9 September 2022 09:22, UK

The Queen made a speech on Christmas Day every year of her long reign apart from one, when she wrote a letter to reflect on the previous 12 months instead.

The tradition, which began as the King's Christmas Message in 1932, has since been broadcast in 3D and as a podcast.

Here Sky News looks back at the 10 most notable Christmas messages of the Queen's reign.

The Queen gave her first Christmas message 10 months after she became sovereign, but before she was officially crowned.

It was broadcast live on the radio from her study at Sandringham.

She paid tribute to her "beloved" late father and reflected on her accession to the throne.

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Her Majesty described belonging to the "far larger family" of the Commonwealth and the British Empire and thanked her new subjects for their "loyalty and affection" during the first few months of her new role.

Asking them to pray for her ahead of her June coronation, she wrote: "You will be keeping it as a holiday, but I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me that day."

Five years after her first Christmas message, it was televised for the first time.

Her 1957 speech was also the 25th anniversary of the first one of its kind, delivered by her father live on the radio in 1932.

She said she hoped that by people being able to see as well as hear her, it would make her message "more personal and direct".

"It is inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure for many of you," she said.

"But now at least for a few minutes I welcome you to the peace of my own home."

The Queen reflected on the changes in technology and warned that "ageless ideals" should not be thrown aside amid the innovations.

She congratulated Ghana and Malaysia on becoming independent and read an extract from the poem Pilgrim's Progress.

As technology continued to evolve, 1967 was the first Christmas message to be broadcast in colour.

From 1960 onwards it was no longer delivered live and was instead pre-recorded in the days before Christmas.

The Queen reflected on Canada's 100-year anniversary of its Confederation that year and her and Prince Philip's five-week tour of the country to mark the occasion.

In 1967 she also knighted Sir Francis Chichester after he became the first man to sail solo around the world in his boat the Gipsy Moth IV.

In a nod to the changing times, she said: "No matter what scientific progress we make, the message will count for nothing unless we can achieve real peace and encourage genuine goodwill between people and the nations of the world."

That year, the message came from Buckingham Palace for the first time.

The only year of the Queen's reign that she did not record a Christmas message was 1969.

That year a special documentary called Royal Family had been released to mark the investiture of Charles as the Prince of Wales and the Queen decided that the Firm had received enough media coverage already.

She wrote a letter instead, which remarked upon the end of the decade that saw the first man set foot on the moon as well as tragedies around the world, such as the Aberfan disaster.

In a speech at the Guildhall earlier in the year, the Queen had described 1992 as an "annus horribilis".

It saw a fire destroy part of Windsor Castle and the divorces of three of her children, as well as the ongoing scandals surrounding Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

In her Christmas message she described it as a "sombre year", but said she hoped to "put it behind us" come 1993.

The speech itself was leaked and published by The Sun in the days before Christmas, which led to them having to pay £200,000 in damages for breach of copyright.

Newspaper bosses settled out of court and the money went to charity.

Five years after Windsor Castle was damaged by a fire, restoration work was finally complete, allowing the Queen to record her Christmas message in the White Drawing Room there that year.

Her festive speech was dominated by the death of Princess Diana in August, which she described as "unbearably sad".

But there had also been the "happier event" of hers and the Duke of Edinburgh's golden wedding.

"This interweaving of joy and woe has been very much brought home to me and my family during the last months," she said.

Following Diana's death, she said her thoughts were with those who were "alone, bereaved or suffering".

She also noted the 50-year anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence.

It was the first year the Christmas message was available on the internet.

As the new millennium drew near, the Queen reflected on the "pace of change".

She said on her mother's 99th birthday in August she had noted how "different were her early years compared with those of my grandchildren".

At 73 she said people of her age feared being "left behind" and the "familiar and the comforting" being "swept away".

But she urged them not to be anxious and to "make sense of the future".

"Winston Churchill, my first prime minister, said that 'the further backward you look, the further forward you see'," she said.

That year she opened the new Scottish parliament and urged people not just to get excited by "new gadgets" but also to keep living by the Christian teaching of loving thy neighbour.

In 2006 the Queen's Christmas message became available to download as a podcast for the first time.

It was also recorded outside of the royal residences at Southwark Cathedral in London where Her Majesty had met with schoolchildren working on the Nativity.

She said she was impressed by their "energy, vitality and ambition to learn and to travel".

Reflecting on how the old and the young could learn from one another, she said: "I am reminded of a lady of about my age who was asked by an earnest, little granddaughter the other day, 'Granny, can you remember the Stone Age?'

"Whilst that may be going a bit far the older generation are able to give a sense of context as well as the wisdom of experience which can be invaluable."

The year that London held the Olympics for the first time during her reign was also when the Queen's Christmas message was broadcast in 3D for the first time.

Sky News was in charge of the Christmas Day speech that year and allowed people with 3D-ready TVs to see the Queen in three dimensions.

Her Majesty described the Olympics and Paralympics as a "splendid summer of sport", which she opened alongside Daniel Craig playing James Bond.

The stunt saw Craig collect the Queen from Buckingham Palace and fly her in a helicopter to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London ready to attend the opening ceremony.

In her Christmas message she thanked the "army of volunteers" who helped make the Games possible.

"Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted," she said.

The Christmas message of 2017 focused on the theme of "home" in light of the Manchester Arena terror attack and the Grenfell Tower Fire.

She said the two cities' "powerful identities shone through... in the face of appalling attacks".

The Queen visited some of the surviving victims in the days after the bombing, which she described as a "privilege".

"The patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience," she said.

She also recalled the "sheer awfulness" of the Grenfell tragedy, which killed 72 people, and noted that many of the firefighters who helped on the day "will not be home today because they are working to protect us".

2017 also marked 60 years since the first televised broadcast.

"Six decades on, the presenter of that broadcaster has 'evolved' somewhat," she said.

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How the Queen's First Televised Christmas Broadcast Changed the Royal Family Forever

Queen Elizabeth went live into millions of living rooms on Christmas afternoon in 1957.

On December 25th, Queen Elizabeth will deliver her 68th Christmas address as the British monarch. It will be the latest in a long tradition of holiday broadcasts, which began in their current form on December 25, 1957 .

The royal tradition , known as the King's Christmas Message, began in 1932, and the short address was an opportunity for the monarch to reflect on the year's major events and the royal family's personal milestones. Prior to 1957, it had been broadcast to the Commonwealth nations via radio, but that year, the Queen Elizabeth accepted the BBC’s request to read her remarks live on television from her quarters at Sandringham, her Norfolk estate.

Millions of people, sitting in their homes on the most sacred of family holidays, joined the Queen in her home for the first time.

In many ways, the evolution of the Christmas message mirrors the royal family's struggle to transform into a modern monarchy—to balance their roles as iconic figureheads with the insatiable thirst for information about their lives and relationships. Would they remain forever aloof and removed—or let the public in, little by little? With her first address, Queen Elizabeth made a convincing step toward openness. “I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct,” she said as she read from the Long Library in Sandringham at 3 p.m.

“It is inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you," the Queen added. "A successor to the Kings and Queens of history; someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never really touches your personal lives. But now at least for a few minutes I welcome you to the peace of my own home.”

Although delivering the message to camera was a first for a British monarch, the Queen, who had given her first Christmas broadcast just five years earlier, was a pro.

“We had a run-through on the day and then went straight into the live broadcast,” Richard Webber, who was in charge of production, told The Telegraph . “The Queen was extremely accomplished with the teleprompter and read the message brilliantly.”

She also proved to be a stickler for details. During the historic moment, the Queen picked up a book and read a few lines from John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress . “The lines were printed on a sheet of paper inserted inside the book,” Webber recalled. “However, in the run-through the Queen quickly spotted that it wasn’t the right book and asked whether there was a copy in the library. Sure enough, there was.”

Despite their success, the Queen’s live televised broadcasts didn’t last long. In 1960, the message was pre-recorded from Buckingham Palace. The process was more convenient for everyone involved, and it meant a film reel of the message could be sent to all Commonwealth nations well in advance of Christmas day.

This tradition has continued every year since, with the arrival of the first color broadcast in 1967. The only exception is 1969, when the Queen decided to write a Christmas message instead of broadcasting one. It was the year of Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales , and she reportedly felt the family had had enough exposure for the moment.

The audience for the Christmas message has been in steady decline since its peak in 1980, the year before Charles and Diana's wedding, when it hit 28 million viewers in the UK. But that hasn't stopped the Crown from innovating. In 2006, when around 7.6 million Brits tuned in, the speech was made available for download as a podcast for the first time, and in 2012, Sky News produced the program in 3D. These days, viewers around the world can also catch the address through the royal family's Facebook and Youtube pages.

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The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast 1952 Transcript

After her Accession on 6 February 1952, The Queen broadcast her first Christmas Message live on the radio from her study at Sandringham, Norfolk. Read the transcript here.

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Queen Elizabeth: ( 00:06 ) Each Christmas at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today, I am doing this to you who are now my people.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 00:22 ) As he used to do, I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family and let me say at once how I hope that your children are enjoying themselves as much as mine are on a day which is especially the children’s festival, kept in honor of the child born of Bethlehem nearly 2,000 years ago.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 00:51 ) Most of you to whom I am speaking will be in your own homes, but I have a special thought for those who are saving their country in distant lands far from their families. Wherever you are, either at home or away, in snow or in sunshine, I give you my affectionate greetings with every good wish for Christmas and the New Year.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 01:22 ) At Christmas, our thoughts are always full of our homes and our families. This is the day when members of the same family try to come together, or if separated by distance or events, meet in spirit and affection by exchanging greetings. But we belong, you and I, to a far larger family. We belong, all of us, to the British Commonwealth and Empire, that immense union of nations with our home set in all the four corners of the earth.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 02:03 ) Like our own families, it can be a great path for good, a force which I believe can be of immeasurable benefit to all humanity. My father and my grandfather before him worked all our lives to unite our peoples ever more closely and to maintain its ideals, which were so near to their hearts. I shall strive to carry on their work.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 02:37 ) Already, you have given me strength to do so. For, since my accession, 10 months ago, your loyalty and affection have been an immense support and encouragement. I want to take this Christmas Day my first opportunity to thank you with all my heart. Many brave problems and difficulties confront us all, but with a new faith in the old and splendid beliefs given us by our forefathers and the strength to venture beyond the safeties of the past, I know we shall be worthy of our duty.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 03:22 ) Above all, we must keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure that is the finest quality of youth. And by youth, I do not just mean those who are young in years, I mean too all those who are young in heart, no matter how old they may be. That spirit still flourishes in this old country and in all the younger countries of our Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 03:56 ) On this broad foundation, let us set out to build a truer knowledge of ourselves and our fellowmen, to work for tolerance and understanding among the nations and to use the tremendous forces of science and learning for the betterment of man’s lot upon this earth. If we can do these three things with courage, with generosity and with humility, then surely we shall achieve that “Peace on earth, Goodwill toward men” which is the eternal message of Christmas, and the desire of us all.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 04:43 ) At my Coronation next June, I shall dedicate myself anew to your service. I shall do so in the presence of a great congregation, drawn from every part of the Commonwealth and Empire, while millions outside Westminster Abbey will hear the promises and the prayers being offered up within its walls, and see much of the ancient ceremony in which kings and queens before me have taken part through century upon century.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 05:22 ) You will be keeping it as a holiday, but I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me on that day, to pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you all the days of my life.

Queen Elizabeth: ( 05:52 ) May God bless and guide you all through the coming year.

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