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| Elizabeth II and her family; December 1963 |
Location: Buckingham Palace
Produced by: BBC
Theme:
Elizabeth II, who was expecting her fourth child, delivers a radio message in which she makes a general reference to major world events during the year which ' are already part of the long record of history.' The Queen remembers the 'undernourished' across the world and applauds the Commonwealth for their generous efforts in 'the campaign to free the world from hunger'.
Commentary:
Elizabeth II, who was expecting her fourth child, delivers a radio message in which she makes a general reference to major world events during the year which ' are already part of the long record of history.' The Queen remembers the 'undernourished' across the world and applauds the Commonwealth for their generous efforts in 'the campaign to free the world from hunger'.
Commentary:
For the second time since 1957, Elizabeth II reverts to a radio broadcast due to pregnancy. This time the Queen gives a longer speech than she had done in 1959, although it is still noticeably more brief than her typical annual Messages.
In keeping with my practise of working backwards in time to review historical Broadcasts, I will point out that this is the first occasion that I have been faced with the situation of commenting on a 'sound only' Message. Obviously I cannot make many of my usual observations regarding production values, but it is possible to compare the Queen's broadcasting style ten years on from her Coronation with that of the start of her reign. It is interesting to note that Her Majesty's delivery had already changed considerably from her first Christmas message in 1952. Eleven years earlier, the new Queen had adopted the exaggerated enunciation typical of the earliest days of broadcasting; her youth and inexperience was also evident as she addressed her millions of peoples across the Commonwealth. After more than a decade on the throne, the Queen's speaking style was now more confident, brisk, businesslike and more natural-sounding. Elizabeth II's received pronunciation by 1963 could be said to be more characteristic of her own generation rather than that of her parents or even grandparents.
Notes:
A few weeks before Elizabeth II recorded her Christmas message, the world had been shaken by one of the most dramatic events of the post-War era; the assassination of US president John F Kennedy. Some may find it surprising that Elizabeth II does not refer directly to the event in her speech. As I have stated in earlier posts, it has never been Elizabeth II's habit to discuss party politics and individual politicians in her Christmas messages; for instance, the comings and goings of her many British and Commonwealth prime ministers over the years have always gone un-noted. The Queen prefers to use her Christmas address as an opportunity to praise 'unsung heroes' and highlight the unifying qualities of humanity. That Elizabeth II did not mention Kennedy's assassination does not mean that she was not moved by the event, merely that she considered that the Christmas message was not the time and place to discuss it. In fact, Her Majesty did go on to pay fulsome tribute to the late president at the dedication of the John F Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede in May 1965.
Elizabeth II's fourth child, Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis, was born on 10th March 1964.
Full text here
Notes:
A few weeks before Elizabeth II recorded her Christmas message, the world had been shaken by one of the most dramatic events of the post-War era; the assassination of US president John F Kennedy. Some may find it surprising that Elizabeth II does not refer directly to the event in her speech. As I have stated in earlier posts, it has never been Elizabeth II's habit to discuss party politics and individual politicians in her Christmas messages; for instance, the comings and goings of her many British and Commonwealth prime ministers over the years have always gone un-noted. The Queen prefers to use her Christmas address as an opportunity to praise 'unsung heroes' and highlight the unifying qualities of humanity. That Elizabeth II did not mention Kennedy's assassination does not mean that she was not moved by the event, merely that she considered that the Christmas message was not the time and place to discuss it. In fact, Her Majesty did go on to pay fulsome tribute to the late president at the dedication of the John F Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede in May 1965.
Elizabeth II's fourth child, Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis, was born on 10th March 1964.
Full text here
