LONDON (AFP) – Queen
Elizabeth II gave thanks on
Tuesday for Britain's year of
Olympic and diamond jubilee
festivities, in her first
Christmas message to the
Commonwealth broadcast in
3D.
The 86-year-old monarch
said it had been "humbling"
to see the vast crowds
joining celebrations marking
her 60th year on the throne
and paid tribute to the
volunteers, as well as the
athletes, who took part in
the London Olympics.
"The success of these great
festivals depended to an
enormous degree upon the
dedication and effort of an
army of volunteers," she said.
"All those who saw the
achievement and courage at
the Olympic and Paralympic
Games were further inspired
by the skill, dedication,
training and teamwork of
our athletes."
Everyone was able to share
in the "excitement and
drama" of the Games, she
added.
The monarch formally
opened the Games in
dramatic fashion herself,
after taking part in a James
Bond scene which ended
with the pair seemingly
parachuting down to the
Olympic Stadium from a
helicopter.
Her pre-recorded Christmas
message was broadcast
across Britain and all 15
Commonwealth realms
where she is head of state —
although just a small
minority have access to the
3D-television facility.
The 3D broadcast comes
exactly 80 years after the
queen's father, king George
V, gave the first royal
Christmas broadcast to the
Commonwealth by radio.
Behind-the-scenes
photographs showed the
queen beaming as she
previewed the footage,
wearing customised 3D
glasses marked with a "Q" in
diamante studs.
Earlier Tuesday, the monarch
joined other British royals for
a Christmas church service
on her Sandringham estate
in Norfolk, eastern England
— but Prince William and his
pregnant wife Catherine
were absent.
William and the former Kate
Middleton, who is recovering
from severe morning
sickness that saw her
hospitalised for four days
earlier this month, broke
with tradition to spend
Christmas Day with her family
rather than the royals.
The queen had missed
church on Sunday due to a
cold but appeared in good
spirits as she arrived for the
morning service at St Mary
Magdalene Church wearing a
turquoise coat dress and
matching hat.
Her 91-year-old husband
Prince Philip, who spent last
Christmas in hospital
following a heart scare, was
also at church along with
heir to the throne Prince
Charles and his wife Camilla.
The royals traditionally spend
Christmas at Sandringham,
but William's younger
brother Prince Harry will also
be absent from this year's
festivities as he serves in
Afghanistan as an Apache
helicopter pilot.
William and Kate's office at St
James's Palace said the
couple, whose first child will
be third-in-line to the British
throne, would visit
Sandringham later in the
holidays.
The queen and Prince Philip
are understood to have
approved their grandson's
decision to spend Christmas
Day with his parents-in-law,
Michael and Carole Middleton,
who run a party supplies
business.
Kate's sister Pippa and
brother James were also
expected to spend the day at
the Middleton family home in
Bucklebury, a village west of
London.
(vanguardng)
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