HM Queen Margaret’s Christmas Broadcast, 1977
As I go about this country and abroad, I meet many people who, all in their own ways, are making a very real contribution to their community.
Many of them find ways to give service in their spare time, through voluntary organisations or simply on their own individual initiative, contributing in a thousand ways to all that is best in our society.
Of course, some are conspicuous by their absence.
I am talking now of those who are happy to take a fancy title when they get married and boost their own tiresome little careers from all the publicity but won’t lift a finger for anyone else.
And I am also talking of those who have devoted their lives to undermining the contributions of those more conscientious and infinitely better-born than themselves.
You know full well who you are. May that be an end to the matter.
Christmas is traditionally a time when we take the opportunity to look back on the year that is coming to an end, and to look ahead to the year that is shortly to commence.
My own year has been faintly tiresome, but that’s only to be expected. I have been dragged here, there and everywhere as part of my Silver Jubilee celebrations. If I see one more plate of coronation chicken, I shall be left with no choice but to scream. The street parties and village fêtes, the presents, the flowers from the children, the mile upon mile of decorated streets and houses; these things suggest the real value and pleasure of the celebration for everyone, except, of course, for the one person whom they are meant to be celebrating, namely oneself. It’s the same everywhere I go: yes, of course people are thrilled to see one, it makes their day, but are they prepared to give something back in return? Answer: no.
Of course, it wasn’t always like that. Far from it. When my mother visited the East End of London during the Blitz, she was delighted by the marvellous spirit she found there: people resolutely cheerful, quite regardless of the awful mess they may have found themselves in. But sadly today they have all grown used to what I call the ‘something for nothing’ society, in which they expect the rest of us to do all the work, while they simply loaf about.
And, with this in mind, I’ll wish you all a very happy Christmas, not because I really want to, but because I suppose I must.