QUEEN: IT'S ABOUT TIME WE STARTED CARING

 

Illustrating how times have changed, the annual TV broadcast is now beamed around the world on the internet, can be downloaded as a podcast, and, for the first time this year, was available in high definition.

 

Excerpts used from the 1957 broadcast saw the Queen, who spoke in the higher tones of her youth, emphasising the speed at which things were changing.

 

With a somewhat nervous sideways glance at the end, she wishes everyone “all the fun and enjoyment” of a very happy Christmas.

 

The image of a black and white royal standard, Sandringham House and then the young Queen started this year’s screening.

 

For 2007, the Sovereign, who has become very experienced in the art of the now pre-recorded Yuletide address, highlighted the importance of family.

 

She remarked personally on the affection and support she and the Duke of Edinburgh received from their own relatives during their diamond wedding celebrations this year.

 

The broadcast included never-before-seen footage of the Royals as they gathered at a black tie party at Clarence House in November, hosted by the Prince of Wales to celebrate the couple’s 60th anniversary.

 

As they posed for a group photograph, the Queen, sitting in the prime spot in the front row, could be heard saying a spontaneous and enthusiastic “cheese”.

 

As more than 20 close family members, including heir to the throne Charles and Prince William, mingled, Prince Harry asked with a grin “Are you going to feed us now?”.

 

The Queen is seen chatting to daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall. In this year’s message, after watching footage of herself from the 1957 address on a modern flatscreen TV at Buckingham Palace, the Queen talked about the positive value of a happy family.

 

“One of the features of growing old is a heightened awareness of change,” she said. “To remember what happened 50 years ago means that it is possible to appreciate what has changed in the meantime. It also makes you aware of what has remained constant.

 

“In my experience, the positive value of a happy family is one of the factors of human existence that has not changed. “The immediate family of grandparents, parents and children, together with their extended family, is still the core of a thriving community.

 

“When Prince Philip and I celebrated our Diamond Wedding last month, we were much aware of the affection and support of our own family as they gathered round us for the occasion.”

 

 With a Christian theme, the head of the Church of England spoke of how Mary, Joseph and the newborn Jesus were a family who were shut out. The Queen urged people to take care of those cut off from society.

 

“The Christmas story also draws attention to all those people who are on the edge of society - people who feel cut off and disadvantaged; people who, for one reason or another, are not able to enjoy the full benefits of living in a civilised and law-abiding community,” she said.

 

“For these people, the modern world can seem a distant and hostile place. “It is all too easy to ’turn a blind eye’, ’to pass by on the other side’, and leave it to experts and professionals.

 

“All the great religious teachings of the world press home the message that everyone has a responsibility to care for the vulnerable.

 

“Fortunately, there are many groups and individuals, often unsung and unrewarded, who are dedicated to ensuring that the ’outsiders’ are given a chance to be recognised and respected.

 

“However, each one of us can also help by offering a little time, a talent or a possession, and taking a share in the responsibility for the well-being of those who feel excluded.”

 

The Queen, who is head of the Armed Forces, also paid tribute to the sacrifices made by Britain’s servicemen and women. Footage was shown of Royal Marines from 40 Commando during a deployment to Kajaki in the dangerous Helmand province of Afghanistan.

 

The troops, dressed in desert combats and their green berets, stood with their heads bowed in silence. The Last Post sounded as they paid their respects to fallen comrades on Remembrance Sunday.

 

“Today I want to draw attention to another group of people who deserve our thoughts this Christmas,” the Queen said.

 

“We have all been conscious of those who have given their lives, or who have been severely wounded, while serving with the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

“The dedication of the National Armed Forces Memorial was also an occasion to remember those who have suffered while serving in these and every other place of unrest since the end of the Second World War.

 

“For their families, Christmas will bring back sad memories, and I pray that all of you, who are missing those who are dear to you, will find strength and comfort in your families and friends.”

 

She was shown at the dedication of the new National Armed Forces Memorial in Alrewas, Staffordshire, in October. It bears the names of 16,000 service personnel who have died since the Second World War.

 

The monarch is also seen shaking hands with women wearing religious headscarves.

 

The Queen, dressed in a Kelly and Pordum apricot silk dress with scattered bronze beading and a gold brooch with ruby scarabs and diamonds, ends with the words: “I want to wish you all a blessed Christmas.”

 

She recorded the message to the Commonwealth in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace, against the backdrop of a Christmas tree and Brompton’s painting of Frederick, son of George III.

 

The Queen’s Christmas Speech is one of the rare occasions when the monarch does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice her own views.

 

She writes her own speeches and each one has a strong religious framework, reflects current issues and often draws on her own experiences.

 

 

The speech can also, once again, be downloaded as a podcast from www.royal.gov.uk