Just In: Bizarre reason Queen Elizabeth refused to give her Christmas message one year
Just In: Bizarre reason Queen Elizabeth refused to give her Christmas message one year
Throughout her remarkable 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II was a regular fixture at Christmas, always appearing on television or over the radio to deliver her annual festive broadcast. The monarch’s message has been a tradition which has existed since 1932, when King George V delivered the first one from Sandringham.
In the years which have followed, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, and now King Charles have all carried on the tradition. While the speech went on uninterrupted during years of war and difficulty, the late Queen once decided against giving a TV broadcast in December 1969 for a very strange reason.
The reason is not linked to her health or any sort of family tragedy, but rather something else altogether.
The monarch was understood to have felt that her family had already received enough publicity that year. The reason for this was that 1969 had seen the release of the infamous Royal Family documentary, which saw the Queen and her family filmed in an intimate setting and while they completed their duties and enjoyed some downtime.
The film was criticised at the time of its release. Journalist Peregrine Worsthorne said: “Initially the public will love seeing the Royal Family as not essentially different from anyone else… but in the not-so-long run familiarity will breed, if not contempt, familiarity”.
It is known that the Queen was not a fan of the BBC fly-on-the-wall programme and asked that it never be aired on TV again. Owing to the amount of publicity the documentary attracted, the Queen sent a written message instead of her usual broadcast.
She wrote: “I have received a great number of kind letters and messages of regard and concern about this year’s break with the usual broadcast at Christmas and I want you all to know that my good wishes are no less warm and personal because they come to you in a different form.
I’m a short time the 1960s will be over but not out of our memories. Historians will record them as the decade in which men first reached out beyond our own planet and set foot on the moon, but each one of us will have our own special triumphs or tragedies to look back on.
“My own thoughts are with my older children who are entering the service of the people of this country and the Commonwealth. It is a great satisfaction and comfort to me and my husband to know that they have won a place in your affections…”
“At this time our concern is particularly for the lonely, the sick and the elderly. I hope they will all feel the warmth and comfort of companionship and that all of you will enjoy a very happy Christmas with your families and friends. God bless you all.
