QUEEN ELIZABETH II USED HER ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BROADCAST TO PRAISE THE BRAVERY AND COMMITMENT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BRITISH ARMED FORCES SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN. IN A YEAR IN WHICH THE DEATH TOLL HAS RISEN BY 106, THE QUEEN'S HEARTFELT COMMENTS WILL HAVE PARTICULAR RESONANCE. IN THE BROADCAST, WHICH WAS RECORDED IN THE WHITE DRAWING ROOM AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, THE QUEEN DEVOTED A LARGE SECTION OF THE SPEECH TO THE SACRIFICE OF THE 10,000 SERVICE PERSONAL ON ACTIVE DUTY. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS IS 243 SINCE OPERATIONS BEGAN ON 2001. THE QUEEN, WHO IS HEAD OF THE ARMED FORCES, HAS PRIVATELY URGED MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY TO SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE MILITARY SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. BUT HER COMMENTS WILL ALSO BE DIRECTED AT THOSE SERVING AT HOME. IN THE SUMMER THE QUEEN UNDERLINED HER OWN BACKING WITH THE CREATION OF THE ELIZABETH CROSS WHICH WILL BE GIVEN TO THE NEXT OF KIN OF ARMED FORCES PERSONAL KILLED ON OPERATIONS OR AS A RESULT OF TERRORISM. IT IS THE FIRST TIME THE NAME OF A REIGNING MONARCH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO A NEW AWARD SINCE KING GEORGE VI, THE QUEEN'S FATHER, INSTITUTED THE GEORGE CROSS IN 1940. THE QUEEN, DRESS IN A TURQUOISE SILK WOOL DRESS AND WEARING A BROOCH FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER, ALSO URGED THE SEASONAL MESSAGE TO URGE THE COMMONWEALTH, ESPECIALLY ITS YOUNG PEOPLE, TO KEEP ON TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT MATTER TO THE INSTITUTION'S 54 MEMBER STATES. SHE WILL SAY: 'IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP DISCUSSING ISSUES THAT CONCERN US ALL, THERE CAN BE NO MORE VALUABLE ROLE FOR OUR FAMILY OF NATIONS.' THE ADDRESS IS ONE OF THE RARE OCCASIONS WHEN THE QUEEN DOES NOT TURN TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR ADVISE AND VOICES HER OWN PERSONAL VIEWS. THE MESSAGE WILL BE TRANSMITTED ON BOTH TELEVISION AND RADIO AT 3pm ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THE BROADCAST, PRODUCED BY ITN, WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ROYAL CHANNEL AND ON YOUTUBE.CON FROM THE SAME TIME.
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