The Telegraph from the U.K. tells us of Queen Elizabeth’s traditional Christmas speech filmed a little over a month ago that aired on Christmas, as is the country’s tradition.

These speeches are the more enjoyable of political speeches; Queen Elizabeth writes them herself, and she is not required to consult with anyone concerning political agendas before delivering.

The commemoration of her 60th year as queen along with a new great-grandson seems to have placed Queen Elizabeth in a reflective mood this year, and she urges her countrymen and all who tuned in into her Christmas speech to take a few moments each day to reflect on their lives.

Wearing the elegant and simple yellow dress that she previously wore to William and Kate’s wedding, yellow flowers placed on the table beside her set the scene for an interesting and succinct speech covering family ties, the upcoming Commonwealth Games and appreciating life.

Queen Elizabeth also made sure to honor troops in the Middle East for their efforts with kind and encouraging words accompanied with footage from a lifeboat station visit earlier this year.

Be sure to check out the behind-the-scene footage also:

Fun Fact: In the beginning of the aired speech, you may hear a song that sounds exactly like “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” This is not a covert plan to start the Revolutionary War Pt. II– the United States purposely borrowed the tune from the British anthem entitled “God Save the Queen/King.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons