Each year the Queen gives members of the public a rare glimpse into her official London residence, Buckingham Palace, when she records her annual Christmas speech. And the palace is always decked out in style for Christmas, with beautifully decorated trees and seasonal blooms adding a festive touch to every room.
Not only does the speech offer us the opportunity to hear the Queen reflect upon the last year, but also to take a peek inside some of the 775 rooms within Buckingham Palace, with Her Majesty typically recording her message in one of the 19 different state rooms.
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In 2016, the Queen chose the Regency Room as the location for her message, and the corner of the room is filled with a stunning Christmas tree, which is adorned with white lights, and baubles in a colour scheme of gold, green and red. Two family photos can be seen on tables surrounding the Queen – one of her husband Prince Philip and the other, a portrait of the Queen and her son Prince Charles.
The 18th Century Room was the location for the 2015 Christmas message, and was decorated with neutral and gold Christmas decorations to complement the colour scheme of the room. A floral garland lies on top of the fireplace in the background, while some of Her Majesty's precious family photos sit next to her on the desk, including a portrait from Princess Charlotte's christening.
It was a merry and bright Christmas with the magnificent backdrop of the State Dining Room for the Queen's broadcast in 2014. Although this room has a vibrant red and gold colour scheme, staff opted for a striking colour clash with the decorations, adding pink baubles to the Christmas tree. For this year the Queen paid tribute to her grandfather King George V and Queen Mary by presenting their portraits on the table alongside a decorated brass tin given to all members of the British, Colonial and Indian Armed Forces for Christmas 1914.
The Blue Drawing Room was chosen for 2013's Christmas message, and there was a colour scheme to match. Vibrant cobalt baubles hang from the tree, adding a pop of colour to the otherwise classic gold decorations. Portraits of her mother and father stand on the table alongside an official photo taken from Prince George's christening earlier that year.
Members of the public were given a glimpse at another part of Buckingham Palace when the Queen filmed in the White Drawing Room in 2012. This room is opulent and ornately finished much like the rest of the palace, with a huge chandelier hanging at the centre of the room and a huge real Christmas tree in the corner, decked with traditional red and gold baubles.
The 1844 room (so-called because it was decorated that year for the State visit of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia) provided the perfect backdrop for the Queen's 2011 Christmas message. The Queen stood in front of a traditional marble fireplace for the broadcast, with a dazzling chandelier and framed portraits visible in the reflection of the mirror.
Looking back to 2008, it was the music room that was selected for the Christmas speech. This incredibly spacious room offers views out over Buckingham Palace's extensive gardens, with a grand piano taking pride of place in the centre. In keeping with the décor of the room, the Christmas tree is decorated with gold and red baubles, with wrapped gifts placed carefully underneath.
The Duke of York hosted a special Christmas Tea at Buckingham Palace in 2004, where dancers from The English National Ballet took the opportunity to perform around the gigantic Christmas tree. This tree, one of many within the Palace, is decorated in a red, gold, green and silver colour scheme, the perfect match to its setting, which has red carpets and ornate gold furnishings.
A number of celebrity and amateur embroiderers provided their own decorations for the Queen's Christmas tree in 1998, crafting some 500 ornaments for the tree – as admired by Her Majesty and the Queen Mother.
No Christmas broadcast took place in 1969, however viewers were still given a glimpse inside Buckingham Palace with the documentary, Royal Family, which was repeated on Christmas Day. Here, the Queen and Prince Philip can be seen looking at their tree, which is decorated with red baubles and traditional paper crackers.