20 December 2012
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN
2012 CHRISTMAS BROADCAST TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE COMMONWEALTH
The Queen’s annual Christmas Message will be broadcast in 3D television for the first time.
The Message, to be broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day, will also be available in Standard Definition and High Definition.
Notes to Editors:
- The original idea for a Christmas speech by the Sovereign was mooted in 1932 by Sir John Reith, the visionary founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service (now the BBC World Service).
- The Christmas message was started by The Queen's grandfather, King George V. King George had reigned since 1910, but it was not until 1932 that he delivered his first Christmas message. The King acknowledged the unifying force of technology in his historic speech: "I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them."
- The time chosen for the first broadcast was 3pm - the best time for reaching most of the countries in the Empire by short waves from the transmitters in Britain. The Christmas Broadcast still goes out at 3pm on Christmas Day today.
- It was the outbreak of war in 1939 which firmly established the Royal Christmas Broadcast. With large parts of the world now facing an uncertain future, King George VI spoke live to offer a message of reassurance to his people: "A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle we shall remain undaunted."
- After the death of George VI in February 1952, The Queen broadcast her first Christmas message. She spoke of carrying on the tradition passed on to her by the late King: "Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved Father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world ... As he used to do, I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family ... My Father [King George VI], and my Grandfather [King George V] before him, worked hard 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."
- Throughout her reign The Queen has made a Broadcast every year except one. No Christmas Broadcast took place in 1969 because a repeat of the documentary Royal Family was already scheduled for the holiday period.
- The first televised message was broadcast live in 1957. The advent of television during The Queen's reign has given an added dimension to her Broadcasts. It has allowed viewers to see The Queen in her own residences, decorated for Christmas like many homes across the world.
- Over the years, the Broadcasts have chronicled both the life of the nation and of The Monarchy. In 1966, for example, during a decade which saw great changes for women, The Queen spoke about the important role of women in society: "This year I should like to speak especially to women. In the modern world the opportunities for women to give something of value to the human family are greater than ever, because, through their own efforts, they are now beginning to play their full part in public life."
- The location is usually Buckingham Palace, but recordings have also been made at Windsor and Sandringham. In 2003 the message was filmed at Combermere Barracks in Windsor - the first time the address had been shot entirely on location.
- In 2007, the Christmas Broadcast was made available on YouTube for the first time when The Royal Channel on YouTube was launched. It continues to appear on the Royal Channel each year for the twelve days of Christmas.
