Queen Elizabeth II had a great reputation around the world for not only being the UK’s longest reigning monarch, but also for dedicating her entire life to service and duty.
While giving a Christmas speech was not necessarily a duty the late Queen had to follow through, the former monarch was committed to addressing the nation each year, with this being televised from 1957 onwards.
However, there was one year Queen Elizabeth II skipped the Christmas speech for one very unusual reason.
As reported by Royal Central, Her Majesty decided not to do a televised Christmas Day broadcast in 1969 after the release of a documentary earlier that year called The Royal Family.
While the aim was to increase support for the monarchy once more and make them appear more relatable, this ended up backfiring on the family and was quickly put to a stop as it ended up giving the public too much of an insight, leading to negative criticism of the family in the press.
Royal Central reported that as a result of the documentary, Elizabeth II felt that everyone had seen enough of her and her family for the year on TV screens, instead choosing to give a Christmas message in written form.
Her Late Majesty said at the time: “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.
“In 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.”
The message continued: “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. We are all looking forward to our visit to Australia and New Zealand for the Cook Bi-centenary celebrations, and also to Fiji and Tonga. Later next year we hope to see something of the fascinating development of Northern Canada.
“It is only natural that we should all be dazzled and impressed by the triumphs of technology, but Christmas is a festival of the spirit. 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.”
While the late Queen did not appear on TV screens that year, she returned in 1970 for the annual televised Christmas broadcast and continued this every year. Her last televised Christmas Day message was in 2021, nine months before her death in September 2022.
King Charles now carries on the tradition set out by his great grandfather King George V, who first broadcast to the nation on Christmas Day. His message this year has been filmed in a chapel as opposed to one of the Royal palaces.
