Queen's Christmas speech: What time is the Queen's speech on Christmas Day? How to watch Queen's speech 2021

The Queen’s Christmas Day speech will be broadcast on December 25 – here’s what time and how to watch
What time will the Queen's speech be broadcast on Christmas Day 2021? (Image credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire)What time will the Queen's speech be broadcast on Christmas Day 2021? (Image credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire)
What time will the Queen's speech be broadcast on Christmas Day 2021? (Image credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire)

Queen Elizabeth II’s annual Christmas speech will take place for the 69th time this Christmas, as the monarch’s traditional royal message is delivered to Brits on UK television screens.

The Queen’s first televised Christmas message took place on December 25, 1957 – broadcast live on tv at the BBC’s request to millions of UK citizens.

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This year’s royal address from the British monarch will no doubt be more emotional following the loss of her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the continuing impact of coronavirus as new variant Omicron sweeps the nation.

The Queen notably cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas lunch with other members of the British Royal Family as Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged that Christmas would not be cancelled for a second year running.

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But what time is the Queen’s Christmas speech this year? And where can you watch it?

Here’s what you need to know.

What time is the Queen’s Christmas speech?

The Queen’s speech for 2021 will be broadcast across multiple UK television channels at 3pm on Saturday December 25.

3pm has always been the traditionally scheduled time for the Queen’s royal message since it was first televised by the BBC in 1957.

“I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct,” the Queen said in her first televised broadcast on BBC.

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“It is inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you.

"A successor to the Kings and Queens of history; someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never really touches your personal lives.

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"But now at least for a few minutes I welcome you to the peace of my own home.”

However, the Queen’s Christmas speeches are no longer broadcast live – having been pre-recorded in early December for broadcast on Christmas Day since 1960.

How can I watch Queen’s Christmas speech for 2021?

The Christmas speech delivered by the Queen will be broadcast on BBC One, ITV, Sky One, Sky News and can be listened to on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday at 3pm.

But those watching on mobile devices or online can watch the royal address on the Royal Family YouTube Channel and on their Facebook page.

What will the Queen say in her Christmas speech 2021?

As with every year, the exact details of the Queen’s royal message remain under wraps until 3pm on Christmas Day.

But given the death of Prince Philip on April 9 this year, the Queen may take the occasion to touch on the more personal subject of the loss of her husband.

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In the wake of COP26 in Glasgow this November, the Queen’s ‘irritation’ over the lack of climate action taken by governments present could also feature in her Christmas message.

But the continued impact of Covid is likely to feature prominently in the Queen’s reflection on the past year – with 2020’s speech seeing the Queen express gratitude to the hard work of NHS workers and frontline staff contending with the horrors of a global health emergency.

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