The Queen's most memorable moments on TV and radio

From the Coronation to Christmas, the Queen was one of the world's most experienced broadcasters.

Appearing on television or radio for more than 80 years, she gave messages to the nation during times of celebration or crisis.

Here are just some of her most memorable broadcasts during her 70-year reign.

World War Two

Princesses Elizabeth (right) and Princess Margaret broadcast to the nation in World War Two

The Queen gave her first radio message to the nation as a 14-year-old wartime princess during the Second World War in October 1940.

The message recorded with the Queen's younger sister Margaret at Windsor Castle, was intended to help the many children evacuated from their homes in, or near to, large UK cities to keep them safe from German bombing.

The recording was very popular with the British public who found it reassuring during a time of intense difficulty for the country.

"And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place," the Queen said.

The Coronation

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in a ceremony known as the Coronation in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953.

The Queen's Coronation was a huge event with many people buying a television for the first time so that they could watch it.

The numbers of televisions in Britain almost doubled in that year, going from around 700,000 to 1.1million.

For those not lucky enough to own a TV, people crammed into places where there was one, including neighbours' living rooms and pubs.

The Coronation was the biggest event in television history up to 1953. It was also broadcast in France, Holland and Germany, and film recordings were sent all over the world. It is estimated that globally, 277 million people viewed the event.

Since then, coverage of the Queen and other royals have continued to break records for viewing figures, including the 2011 wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales, which was the biggest TV event of that year.

Christmas message

The Queen delivered a Christmas message to the nation every single year of her reign apart from 1969, when a documentary was released. The Queen decided the family had received enough media coverage that year and decided to write a letter instead

The tradition of the Christmas speech delivered by the monarch started in 1932 with the Queen's grandfather King George V.

The speech was first broadcast on the radio before it moved to television in 1957 when Queen Elizabeth II gave the first televised Christmas speech.

The Queen wearing 3D glasses

Throughout Elizabeth II's 70-year reign, televisions changed from black and white sets to handheld devices where the speech could be streamed online and in 2012 the Christmas message was broadcast in 3D for the first time.

Royal Family (1969)

Queen Elizabeth II is filmed lunching with Prince Philip and their children Princess Anne and the then Prince Charles at Windsor Castle in 1969

By 1969, millions more owned televisions in Britain during a time of huge cultural significance in the country.

Televisions meant people were able to see and hear things going on in the world. The British pop band the Beatles were internationally famous, and the United States was about to land a person on the Moon for the very first time.

As part of an effort by the monarchy to move with the times, a BBC film crew was allowed access to make a film called 'Royal Family', which was first broadcast in 1969, and followed Britain's most famous family for a year.

The film gave an insight into the family's private life, with footage including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and their children enjoying a barbecue at their Scottish home at Balmoral.

King Charles is also seen water-skiing, while a young Prince Edward asks his mother for an ice cream.

Royal Family was viewed by a worldwide audience of more than 350 million when it was first broadcast on television, but it was then buried away in the BBC archive, reportedly on royal orders.

Coronavirus

Many people found times difficult during the coronavirus pandemic. The Queen encouraged people in the United Kingdom to keep going during a time of national crisis

In April 2020, one month after the UK had gone into lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Queen offered reassurance to the British public in a special televised message.

During the message, the Queen said: 'We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again," referencing one of her favourite wartime song 'We'll Meet Again' by Vera Lynn.

A huge 24 million people tuned in to watch Her Majesty give her speech.

The Queen's sense of fun

During a four-day Bank Holiday celebration to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne, Her Majesty, who was dealing with some health concerns, was able to make a couple of televised appearances on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London.

But perhaps her most memorable moment during the celebrations was a pre-recorded video featuring the Queen and Paddington Bear.

Sitting down for some afternoon tea with the animated bear, the Queen revealed she too stashed away marmalade sandwiches in her handbag.

"For later," she said.

It wasn't the first time the Queen had surprised the public with her sense of humour.

During the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, the Queen recorded a short segment where she greeted the James Bond actor Daniel Craig, before a stunt double dressed as the Queen parachuted into the Olympic stadium from a helicopter.