Queen’s speech and how the royal family celebrates Christmas

For many, Christmas is the perfect opportunity to spend time with loved ones and catch up with all they might have missed throughout the year. The Royal family are no exception to this – but as the head of state, the movements of Queen and her associated clan naturally differ to the rest of us.

Here’s what’s in store for them this Chrimbo.

The Royal family traditionally spend Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, as opposed to Buckingham Palace.  The Queen and Prince Philip usually make the journey to Sandringham via public transport – sometimes startling oblivious passengers with their presence  while the rest of the family arrives at some point on Christmas Eve.

Once everyone has arrived, the royal guests enjoy a traditional Christmas that includes putting the finishing touches on the Christmas tree and the giving of cheap and humorous gifts.

Dinner at Sandringham on Christmas Eve is a relatively formal affair, with the men wearing black tie suits and the woman wearing gowns, expensive jewellery, and tiaras.

On Christmas morning Prince Philip leads the Royal family on a walk to St Mary Magdalene Church for the traditional Christmas Day service. The Queen is driven.

The service typically lasts for around 45 minutes, with the Queen having received Communion privately in the morning already. This year though it was a bit different as the Queen had to miss church service because of a bad cold.

Where do Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spend Christmas?

For the second time since they married in 2011, the Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will be spending Christmas with the Middleton family at their home in Berkshire.

It will mark their first Christmas away from Sandringham House since Prince George and Prince Charlotte were born.

A Royal aide reportedly told the Mail: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children will have a private Christmas Day with the Middleton family.

“Kate is very close to her family and has always made clear they will play a significant role both in her life and those of her children.”

Siblings Pippa and James Middleton are also expected to celebrate Christmas with their parents.

Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spend Christmas together?

Although they recently spent time together picking out a Christmas tree, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be spending their first Christmas as a couple apart.

While Prince Harry will be spending Christmas with the Royal family, strict convention states that only married couples are invited to Sandringham for Christmas. Girlfriends and boyfriends are not allowed.

As such, Miss Markle is expected to fly to California to spend Christmas in her native Los Angeles with her mother. She is expected to begin filming the next series of the legal drama Suits in the new year.

The Queen’s Christmas Message

The Queen’s Christmas Message, broadcast to the 52 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations, is a Christmas Day staple. Originally called the King’s Christmas Message when the tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by King George V, the message has been read by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952.

The Queen typically uses the speech as a chance to reflect on the year and the major events that have occurred throughout it. She also makes a comment on her own personal milestones of the year and expresses her opinion on Christmas in general.

The Queen’s Christmas Message is embargoed until 3pm on Christmas Day. It is then broadcast on BBC One, ITV, Sky 1, and Sky News from 3pm until 3.10pm. You can also listen to it on BBC Radio 4.

In 2015, the Queen’s message was the most watched Christmas Day programme, pulling in 7.5 million viewers in total, beating Downton Abbey’s 6.9 million.

source: The Telegraph

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2016

There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so few of them. But the 67 medals at this year’s Games in Rio and 147 at the Paralympics meant that the GB medallists’ reception at Buckingham Palace was a crowded and happy event. Throughout the Commonwealth there were equally joyful celebrations. Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand won more medals per head of population than any other countries.

Many of this year’s winners spoke of being inspired by athletes of previous generations. Inspiration fed their aspiration; and having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others.

A few months ago, I saw inspiration of a different kind when I opened the new Cambridge base of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where Prince William works as a helicopter pilot. It was not hard to be moved by the dedication of the highly skilled doctors, paramedics and crew, who are called-out on average five times a day.

But to be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.

They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa, from this year Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

This has been the experience of two remarkable organisations, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Prince’s Trust, which are sixty and forty years old this year. These started as small initiatives but have grown beyond any expectations, and continue to transform young people’s lives.

To mark my 90th birthday, volunteers and supporters of the six hundred charities of which I have been patron came to a lunch in The Mall. Many of these organisations are modest in size but inspire me with the work they do. From giving friendship and support to our veterans, the elderly or the bereaved; to championing music and dance; providing animal welfare; or protecting our fields and forests, their selfless devotion and generosity of spirit is an example to us all.

When people face a challenge they sometimes talk about taking a deep breath to find courage or strength. In fact, the word ‘inspire’ literally means ‘to breathe in’. But even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.

At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.

Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.

The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.