Location: Buckingham Palace
Produced by: BBC
Theme: Recalling the eightieth birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the celebrations across Britain to mark the Windsor matriarch's longevity and devotion to duty, Elizabeth II reflects on the spirit of service. Speaking of her mother, the Queen observes, 'The loyalty and affection, which so many people showed to my mother,
reflected a feeling, expressed in many different ways, that she is a
person who has given selfless service to the people of this country and
of the Commonwealth.' Her Majesty then pays tribute to those who unselfishly give service to their communities in various different and important ways, such as caring for the sick, through churches and religious communities and in government and security. The Queen particularly remembers those who may not even realise they deserve thanks.
Commentary: The first broadcast of a new decade and the newly octogenarian Queen Mother is very much the star of the show. The production begins with images from the birthday celebrations of the royal family waving from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, then shortly after Her Majesty begins speaking extended footage is shown from the service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral which had taken place earlier in the day to mark the royal milestone.
The 1980s ultimately turned out to be a dramatic and fast-moving decade in terms of style, but there are no major innovations in this first production of the decade. Producer Richard Cawston sticks with the cosy, lamp-lit 'sitting room' look to the Regency Room that he had developed over the course of the 1970s. Visually, the look is very similar to the 1977 and 1978 productions, with Her Majesty sitting alongside a small table, with a lamp and flower arrangements in the background.
However, Cawston's approach was popular. In the United Kingdom, the 1980 Broadcast attracted an audience of 28 million, which remains a record to this day. This was the golden age of television and Elizabeth II's annual message was an established part of it; for many in Britain and the Commonwealth, Christmas Day without watching the Queen was unthinkable.
Trivia:
On the table next to the Queen is a photograph of the Queen Mother, along with pictures of Elizabeth II's two younger children, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, who during the course of the year had celebrated their twentieth and sixteenth birthdays respectively.
Although the oldest senior royal, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was not the oldest member of the royal family living at the time. Queen Victoria's last surviving grandchild, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, died on 3rd January 1981 (a little over a week after the 1980 Message was broadcast) at the age of 97. Princess Alice remains the longest lived Princess of the Blood Royal.
On publicity photographs from the 1980 production Elizabeth II's dress looks light blue, while on surviving film footage it appears pale green. It seems likely that the photographs have aged better and that Her Majesty was indeed wearing blue.
Full text here
However, Cawston's approach was popular. In the United Kingdom, the 1980 Broadcast attracted an audience of 28 million, which remains a record to this day. This was the golden age of television and Elizabeth II's annual message was an established part of it; for many in Britain and the Commonwealth, Christmas Day without watching the Queen was unthinkable.
Trivia:
On the table next to the Queen is a photograph of the Queen Mother, along with pictures of Elizabeth II's two younger children, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, who during the course of the year had celebrated their twentieth and sixteenth birthdays respectively.
Although the oldest senior royal, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was not the oldest member of the royal family living at the time. Queen Victoria's last surviving grandchild, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, died on 3rd January 1981 (a little over a week after the 1980 Message was broadcast) at the age of 97. Princess Alice remains the longest lived Princess of the Blood Royal.
On publicity photographs from the 1980 production Elizabeth II's dress looks light blue, while on surviving film footage it appears pale green. It seems likely that the photographs have aged better and that Her Majesty was indeed wearing blue.
Full text here
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