The 2011 Broadcast

Location:  Buckingham Palace

Procuced by:  Sky

Theme:  The Queen speaks of courage and hope in adversity, recalling the natural disasters in Australia and New Zealand, and the tragedy which struck a Welsh mining community. Her Majesty highlights the importance of family, communities and friendship in the support and rebuilding process.  The Queen remarks that the marriages of two of her grandchildren have reminded her and Prince Philip of the importance of family.  In a strong message of Christian hope, the Queen explains that finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas, as Jesus was born into a fearful world, and the angels appeared to shepherds who were afraid, yet brought joyful news: 'God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive', she says.

Commentary:  It is well-known that Queen Elizabeth II is a deeply committed Christian, and she almost always makes references to her own faith in her Christmas broadcasts.  Nevertheless, the 2011 broadcast is the most robustly Christian in tone we have seen for decades: 'It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord', she says at the end of her message.  So resounding is this tone, that some commentators have argued that in concentrating on the supporting themes of the speech, media organisations such as the BBC have, deliberately or otherwise, missed the point.

It had been announced in January 2011 that Sky News would join the BBC and ITN in producing the Christmas broadcast on a two-yearly rota basis, beginning with the 2011 broadcast.  Despite the fact that Sky is a subscription broadcaster, and owned by News Corporation, which with embarrassing timing would be hit by scandal during the course of the year, it produces a high quality news service which rivals the BBC, and it would have been difficult for Palace officials to turn down its request to become involved.  Whatever  discussions and disagreements might have taken place during the planning stages remain firmly hidden behind the scenes, but what emerged was a largely traditional format, based on the 2007 'template' for recent broadcasts (indeed, the 1844 Room in Buckingham Palace is used here for the first time since 2007).  The only 'innovation' looks more of a gimmick:  The Queen is filmed at various intervals by a second camera, while looking at the main camera.  This technique is common in television news, but it seems odd to see the Queen given the appearance of a newsreader returning to deliver the headlines at the top of the hour!  In general, however, this is a good first production by Sky.

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The 2004 Broadcast

Location:  Buckingham Palace

Produced by:  BBC

Theme:  The overriding message is the importance of understanding and tolerance between religions and cultures.  Elizabeth II explains how her own Christian beliefs have helped her appreciate this through the parable of the Good Samaritan.  The Queen's address culminates with an anecdote about a visitor to Britain travelling on the London Underground who, upon witnessing children from diverse ethnic backgrounds getting on and off at various stops during his journey, is impressed at how well they get along and how at ease they are with each other.

Commentary:  Viewed only a few years after its original broadcast, the 2004 message can look surprisingly political.  The Queen appears to embrace the virtues of multiculturalism and immigration with enthusiasm (although neither term is directly used), issues which were shortly to become open to widespread debate in the United Kingdom for the first time in decades.  It should be pointed out, however, that the Queen here is only reflecting what had been the consensus of the political mainstream since the 1970s, and it was difficult to foresee the sea-change in mainstream opinion which would begin within a year.  The 7th July London bombings which occurred within a few months of the 2004 Christmas message were carried out by British-born terrorists, which led many in the political and media spheres to question whether enough was being done in British Muslim communities to promote integration and tackle 'home grown' extremism.  In February 2011 British Prime Minister David Cameron declared state multiculturalism a failure, something which would have been unthinkable in December 2004.  Meanwhile, higher than expected levels of immigration from the European Union from 2005 onwards, mainly from white Eastern Europeans, enabled sections of the press to draw a distinction between the thorny issues of immigration and race. 

As was the norm by 2004, the broadcast is interspersed with unique footage of the royal family during the year.  At the start we see the Queen handing out presents to family members in Buckingham Palace, most notably her (then) youngest grandchild, Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of Earl and Countess Of Wessex, who was then just over a year old.  The camera then cuts to the Queen walking briskly to her position in front of the camera in the Yellow Drawing Room. Other footage shown includes the Queen at a Sikh temple and the Prince of Wales visiting a Muslim faith school, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh's work with the ARC.

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The 2005 Broadcast

Location:  Buckingham Palace

Produced by:  ITN

Theme:  After a year which included several notable disasters and tragedies, both man-made and natural,  beginning - as she states - with the Boxing Day tsunami the day after her 2004 Message was broadcast, the Queen's tone is in turn melancholy and hopeful. Elizabeth II refers to Hurricane Katrina, and also the 'vicious'  earthquakes which hit Pakistan and India.  The Queen then turns to the London bombings of 7th July: 'As if these disasters were not bad enough, I have sometimes thought that humanity seemed to have turned on itself, with wars, civil disturbances and acts of brutal terrorism', she laments.  The Queen says: 'This last year has reminded us that this world is not always an easy or a safe place to live in, but it is the only place we have.' However, on an optimistic note the Queen goes on to reflect how these disasters brought out the humanitarian instincts of people, who responded quickly with both financial and practical assistance.  Her Majesty observes that helping others is not a virtue unique to Christianity, although the world will be a better place if people try - sometimes with difficulty - to accept Christ's teaching.
  
Commentary:  In what has become something of a feature of ITN-produced Christmas broadcasts, the Queen speaks from two different settings within the same venue. This approach allows for breaks during filming, which while being perhaps less tiring for the Queen than filming in one long take as she prepared to enter her eighties, is also less monotonous for the viewer.  At the start of the broadcast, Her Majesty is seen walking down a corridor of Buckingham Palace, chatting with choristers from the Chapel Royal.  As the choirboys walk on (we presume to the Chapel), the Queen stops and begins her speech.  She concludes her address inside the Chapel, standing in front of a painting of the Madonna and Child, a reminder of the Christmas story.  The choristers sing the first verse of the carol 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' before Her Majesty's closing words.  In a pleasing final touch, the choirboys reprise the final line of the carol as she finishes speaking.

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