‘This is one for the history books’ – Queen's Christmas message available through Alexa this year

The Queen's Christmas message is to be made available through Alexa smart devices this year, Amazon has announced.

The annual Christmas Day tradition, which began with a radio broadcast by George V in 1932, will allow users to ask voice-controlled assistant Alexa to play the speech in full for the first time.

From 3pm on Christmas Day, people will be able to say "Alexa, play the Queen's Christmas Day message" or "Alexa, play Queen Elizabeth's Christmas Day message".

It will work on Amazon Echo speakers across the Commonwealth and beyond which have language settings as either British English, as well as American, Australian, Canadian or Indian varieties of English.

An Alexa picture: PA

Eric King, director of Alexa Europe, said: "After a challenging year, millions of people from across the Commonwealth will be eagerly awaiting Her Majesty the Queen's message on Christmas Day.

"By creating this world-first innovation, just as we did in 2012 with the release of the Queen's Christmas speech on Kindle, we hope that even more people will be able to enjoy the uplifting words of Her Majesty.

"This really is one for the history books and showcases just how far technology has advanced since the very first speech was delivered back in 1932."

This year, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will have a quiet December 25, having taken the decision to celebrate as a couple rather than forming a bubble with their royal relatives, despite the coronavirus restrictions being temporarily relaxed.

It will be the first time in more than 30 years that the monarch and Philip have remained at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for Christmas, rather than heading to Sandringham in Norfolk.

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