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Sombre Queen's credit crunch Christmas message
Paul Waugh24.12.08
The Queen will use her Christmas Day message to voice her concern at the "insecurity" millions are feeling in recession-hit Britain.
In the broadcast to the nation tomorrow, she will say that although the festive season is a time for celebration, fears of the downturn mean "this year it is a more sombre occasion for many".
A month after the attacks in Mumbai and with British troops engaged overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, her speech will also lament "violence in distant lands".
The speech, which is a chance for the Queen to express her own thoughts rather than those of her government ministers, will focus on the worries felt by many this winter.
She will say: "Some of those things which could once have been taken for granted suddenly seem less certain and, naturally, give rise to feelings of insecurity."
In extracts released by Buckingham Palace today, she said: "People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world. Whether it is the global economy or violence in a distant land, the effects can be keenly felt at home."
This year's message will also contain footage of Prince Harry presenting awards recently to 10 "children of courage" - young people who have faced adversity or shown great presence of mind or selflessness in their lives.
The Queen's message will pay tribute to those who have led unselfish lives in the service of others.
The broadcast, in which she speaks about the recent 60th birthday of the Prince of Wales, will also contain private footage of Charles as a child.
It will feature a previously unseen home movie of a young Princess Elizabeth playing with Charles, aged one, at Clarence House in 1949.
The Queen traditionally delivers her address from Buckingham Palace's music room.
She stands in front of a grand piano that displays family photographs, with a Christmas tree in the background.
The Queen also wears the same pearls she wore in the footage of her with her young son.
The message will be broadcast, as usual, at 3pm. Produced by the BBC, it will be available on the Royal Channel on the YouTube website at the same time, and will be shown in Commonwealth countries.
Last year, six million people watched the message on BBC1 and another 1.7million on ITV1.
The Duke of York revealed last year that the Queen sometimes watches her speech to check if it has "come across in the right way".
Prince Charles was christened in the music room by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 15 December 1948. Following family tradition, Prince William was also christened there.
Reader views (4)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
It is so refreshing reading the posts on this site. It's so ironic that the entrepreneurial spirit once embodied by the Thatcherites is making a comeback. I've read great pieces about global warming skepticism -of which I am one, the glorous hordes of Christmas volunteers, welfare support of the Royals. Britons, I suspect that very soon you will be welcoming a Gladstone era and I look forward to contributing to this effort once I determine how to immigrate. A Happy New Year to all of you. Cheers!
- Peter Manousakos, Montreal, Canada
Its high time the royal family supported themselves and received zero support from the public. The UK is one of the most taxed nations in the western world and something needs to be changed ASAP!
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
Shame she was reading off the Crash Gordon "government" text and blaming everyone else for the crisis here in Britain and not stating the fact that the Nu Labor guys have taxed and spend at the wrong time and are the worst prepared now for the recession.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the queen announced that in 2009, she would NOT accept any money from the public purse for herself or ANY members of the royal family, but would pay for ALL this out of her own vast, enormous fortune, to assist the "credit crunch"?
And what are the chances of her doing this? Absolute zero.
Roll on the republic.
- Philly Prout, Derby
