Last updated at 11:52 AM on 28th November 2011
For decades it was the highlight of the family Christmas when, across the country, people tuned in to the Queen’s annual broadcast. but in recent years the tradition has been in decline.
Now the arrival of a new royal star in the Duchess of Cambridge has triggered an extraordinary upsurge in interest across the globe.
For the first time the Sovereign’s message is being produced by Rupert Murdoch’s Sky News.
The Queen pictured following her Christmas message in 2008. For the first time this year the Sovereign’s message is being produced by Rupert Murdoch’s Sky News
In a year which has seen two royal weddings, Prince Philip’s landmark 90th birthday and the Queen’s historic visit to Ireland, broadcasters believe there could be a bumper audience.
Viewers will hope there is unseen footage of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s April wedding, while Sky, which will make the broadcast for the next two years, is expected to introduce a populist touch of its own.
The Christmas message reached its peak in 1987 with a TV audience of 27 million.
The arrival of a new royal star in the Duchess of Cambridge has triggered an extraordinary upsurge in interest in the Queen’s speech across the globe
Since then — particularly in the years after Princess Diana left the Royal Family — the figures have shrunk.
The address to the Commonwealth, as it is properly known, dates back to 1932 and was once the preserve of the BBC.
But Palace anger over Diana’s Panoramainterview saw the monopoly broken by ITV, which began sharingproduction duties with the Corporation in 1997.
Lastyear Sky approached the Palace and was invited to take part in makingthe film, effectively the Queen’s home movie of the year.
Insiders are confident that this inaugural broadcast will chime with the public.
‘Wethink there is going to be a huge interest this year,’ I am told.‘Anything extra we can learn about Kate and William will grab the publicimagination.’
Tonight theQueen will officially kick off next year’s Diamond Jubilee celebrationswith a reception for media figures at Buckingham Palace.
Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family will be there to receive around 350 guests, from editors to broadcasters
Kate’s dentistry is old news
What short memories people have. Elevenmonths after I revealed Kate Middleton had enhanced her smile withrevolutionary treatment under French orthodontist Didier Fillion, it isfront-page news again. I told how months before her wedding, Katevisited Dr Fillion for a consultation at his Wimpole Street surgery,where he fitted her with invisible braces.
Party pieces: Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury
A day at the races: Florence Brudenell-Bruce
Guests: Princess Anne, FlorenceBrudenell-Bruce (pictured), Dame Judi Dench, Cilla Black and Ruby Wax.
ROYAL FLUSH: Mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins can expect anotherinvitation to sing at the Princess Royal’s home, Gatcombe Park, whereshe gave a concert. The Princess told Jilly Cooper’s property developerson Felix that Ms Jenkins’s fans were ‘very tidy’ and ‘left no litter’.
SATANIC RACES: Better with words than betting odds, Sir Salman Rushdiesat back and let son Milan, 14, try his luck on the horses. The savvyteenager won £40 after picking out three of Irish jockey Ruby Walsh’shorses for his dad. ‘Being here with so many people reminds me of justhow awful the fatwa was when I couldn’t go out or be seen for tenyears,’ said Rushdie.
HATE MALE: Actor Hugh Bonneville, aka Downton Abbey’s Earl of Grantham,revealed he received a slew of angry letters after his character shared apassionate embrace with a chambermaid. ‘He said he got a lot of mailcriticising him for being unfaithful to his wife,’ said a fellow guest.
Strictly music strikes a chord
There was an intriguing choice of musicfor the Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to the set of Strictly Come Dancing.For Anita Dobson and Brendan Cole performed a cha-cha-cha to BillyJoel’s Uptown Girl.
Those familiar with the royal story will recall thiswas the music with which Princess Diana took to the stage with WayneSleep at the Royal Opera House in 1985, around the time Prince Charleswas said to have rekindled his affair with Camilla. Diana got a standingovation and eight curtain calls. Charles, for whom the dance was alook-what-you-are-missing message, was not so impressed.
Finns are hotting up for Kelly
Some said it would never last. but celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke’s relationship with his stunning employee Kelly Simpkin, who is 20 years his junior, goes from strength to strength. The lovebirds will shortly be off to Finland to celebrate Kelly’s 30th birthday in an igloo.
Getting romantic: Nicky Clarke and Kelly Simpkin
‘Forget the Caribbean or the other cliched tropical places, when Nicky asked me where I wanted to go, I opted for a freezing cold country,’ Kelly tells me at the £600-a-head Square Mile Masked Ball at the Royal Courts of Justice. ‘We will be able to lay in bed, see the beautiful Northern Lights through a glass ceiling in the igloo and make love! It will be dead romantic.’
Kelly, who is head of male grooming at her beau’s swish Mayfair salon, where clients include Kevin Spacey and Jonathan Ross, explains: ‘I got the idea after Nicky did that TV programme 71 Degrees North and he loved the experience, and I like going to cold places.’
Carr loses comedy factor
Smug comic Jimmy Carr — who caused a furore recently with a bad-taste joke about Down’s syndrome children — created similar offence via gags about the blind at a £200-a head charity event at the Cafe de Paris in London. Guests including Jeremy Clarkson and Kate Moss were invited to bid for celebrities to perform, but they fell silent after £55,000 was offered for 30 new jokes from Carr. ‘His jokes weren’t funny,’ says a guest.
‘He said he used to have a blind girlfriend and that “It took me ages to get her husband’s voice right”. then he asked: “Who picks up the guide dog’s poo?” both jokes bombed. no one wanted to laugh after that.’
Gove launches poetry app for children
Poetry fan: Michael Gove
Education Secretary Michael Gove will have first-hand experience of Wednesday’s public sector strike when the West London primary school his children attend is likely to be affected.
Happily Gove, 44, married to writer Sarah Vine, has hit on a solution that won’t interrupt their learning of poetry. He has downloaded the first-ever poetry app for children — something of an internet sensation. Created by Notting Hill neighbours Allie Esiri, an actress and writer, and writer Rachel Kelly, the iF Poems app features Helena Bonham Carter and bill Nighy reading classics.
A friend of Gove tells me: ‘Michael and Sarah both love poetry and this is the perfect way to share that with their children.’
PS David Cameron’s vicar, Father Gillean Craig, is said to be the model for BBC1’s Rev — but that has not stopped him questioning the show’s plots. Craig, TV critic for the Church Times, says he finds them frequently unbelievable.
One had the vicar given the services of a ‘gorgeous and talented young priest’. Craig observes that most vicars spend their lives unsuccessfully begging their archdeacon for a curate. were Rev really based on Craig, he might need to be more bookish and, dare one say it, a touch more of a wine connoisseur. . .
Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,or debate this issue live on our message boards.
The comments below have been moderated in advance.
- Helena, Chesterfield, 28/11/2011 14:27
- mambo marina, staffs, 28/11/2011 12:55
- Rebecca, 22, Durham, 28/11/2011 11:59
- Ian, UK, 28/11/2011 11:45
- Christine Hoier, Raabylille Strand, Denmark, 28/11/2011 10:32
Kate’s dentistry is old news … What short memories people have. eleven months after I revealed Kate Middleton had enhanced her smile with revolutionary treatment under French orthodontist Didier Fillion, it is front-page news again. I told how months before her wedding, Kate visited Dr Fillion for a consultation at his Wimpole Street surgery, where he fitted her with invisible braces. Yawn … Richard, we’re really just NOT that interested sweety – it’s sort of like watching paint drying
- fromthetopoftheburjkhalifa, dubai, 28/11/2011 10:26
how disgusting that Murdoch is producing the Queen’s speech – I hope it will be boycotted by those disgusted by the phone hacking scandal.I wouldn’t throw water on Murdoch if he was on fire and I certainly won’t put a penny in his coffers
- Minitata, the here and now in the Real World, 28/11/2011 09:59
- garyjon, alton,hampshire, 28/11/2011 09:34
- Hades, London, 28/11/2011 09:34
At least its a “good news year” for the Royal Family. Leading into the Jubilee Year, it will be an historic broadcast so it will great to have a resurge in interest.- Marian, Brisbane australia, 28/11/2011 02:40 ======== indeed it will – and the 2012 broadcast will be even more so, with the Jubilee Year and the Olympics to look back on. I believe this will be only the second Diamond Jubilee for a British monarch (Victoria is the other – George III didn’t quite make it).
- Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk, 28/11/2011 09:19
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