Queen’s message has new informality

Press, 26 December 1986, Page 3

Queen’s message has new informality

NZPA-PA London The Queen’s televised Christmas message — the first produced by Sir David Attenborough — had a new informality, with the Queen, in headscarf and winter coat, surrounded by excited children awaiting the arrival of Father Christmas.

The Queen, who usually gives her message sitting at her desk at Buckingham Palace, was this year in the middle of the Christmas story — not exactly beside the manger, but in the Palace stables, setting for the annual Christmas party for children of the staff of the Royal Mews. The format of the message was evolved between the Queen, her Private Secretary, Sir William Heseltine, and Sir David. The Queen, who was relaxed and smiling throughout the eight-min-ute 22 second broadcast, has said she is very happy with it

Filming was completed a week before Christmas.

The Queen was given a preview last Friday before she left to spend Christmas at Windsor.

Sir David, aged 60, the broadcaster, director, and naturalist, was chosen by the Queen to succeed the late Richard Cawston, who made the pioneering documentary film, “Royal Family," in 1969, and who, in the 15 years he produced the broadcast, gradually transformed it from a stiff and formal speech to camera into a much more intimate encounter.

Sir David, best known for his wildlife films, deftly captured the spirit of Christmas and its central theme of good will and festivity. The opening shots caught the Queen mingling with the children and their parents, an amateur choir sang “The Holly and the Ivy,” and a small boy offered her a roast chestnut from a paper bag. The Queen seemed thoroughly at ease. After the arrival of Father

Christmas, his horsedrawn sleigh escorted by pipers, she took a group of children, chosen by the film makers at the lastminute, on a tour of the stables.

She was shown chatting unaffectedly with her young guests — presenting an entirely different face from that usually displayed on public occasions. She told the children that the horses pulled the carriages at the time of last summer’s Royal wedding, adding: "These are some of the ones that were having all that cheering and clapping at them, you know ... they don’t seem to mind at all.”

As the horses pawed the ground, the Queen laughed and warned the children: “You’ll get bitten in a minute!”

A choir singing the first verse of “Away in a Manger” heralded the more serious content of the message. The Queen urged the more fortunate not to forget children who

were the victims of illtreatment or neglect The Queen said: “For the children, the party and the meeting with Father Christmas are perhaps the most exciting part of the evening. But I hope that a walk through the stables also helps to bring the traditional Christmas story alive for them.

“I hope it also helps them to realise how fortunate they are to have comfortable homes and warm beds to go to, unlike the Holy family who had to share with the animals because there was no room at the inn.”

The Queen, a mother and grandmother, admitted that it was no easy task to care for and bring up children “whatever your circumstances — whether you are famous or quite unknown.”

She added: “But we could all help by letting the spirit of Christmas fill our homes with love and care and by heeding Our Lord's injunction to treat others as you would like them to treat you.” Emphasising the Christian lesson of love, the Queen said: “There are many serious and threatening problems in this country and in the world but they will never be solved until there is peace in our homes and love in our hearts.”