The Queen launches the Royal Channel on YouTube

Queen embraces new tech 50 years after first Christmas message

24 December 2007 11:40 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The Queen has launched her own channel on the video sharing website YouTube.

Called the The Royal Channel, visitors to the page will be able to watch the Queen's speech at 3pm on Christmas Day as well as previous footage of the Royal family including the first message to the nation 50 years ago.

The channel has been launched to celebrate the 50th message from the Queen.

In her first message in 1957 the Queen spoke of the technological developments that allowed her image to appear in people's homes around the nation in this year's message, saying that "I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct. That it is possible for some of you to see me today is just another example of the speed at which things are changing all around us".

The first ever channel from a monarchy, the Queen joins other world leaders including the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the British Government in using online video to communicate with people around the globe.

Earlier this month the BBC and Sky announced that those wanting to experience the Queen's Christmas Day message to the nation on the 25 December in full glorious HD will be able to for the first time.

Sky viewers will be able to watch it on Sky Movies HD.