good afternoon , 2:00, i'm good afternoon, 2:00, i'm tatiana sanchez . the gb news tatiana sanchez. the gb news rain is shooting in a pub in

merseyside christmas eve that killed a woman and injured a number of others. has described as heartbreaking . the woman died as heartbreaking. the woman died from her injuries in hospital. an investigation is underway. three men were also taken to hospital with gunshot wounds after the incident at the lighthouse inn on the world before midnight . millions of before midnight. millions of people across the country will be tuning in to watch king charles give his first christmas speech as . monarch charles speech as. monarch charles recorded broadcast which as in and out with time. speaking earlier , gb news royal earlier, gb news royal correspondent walker explained what the speech today will signify for the king as he pays tribute . his late mother is tribute. his late mother is expected to pay to the life and legacy of his late mother , legacy of his late mother, elizabeth, the second in his first televised christmas message to the nation and the commonwealth he is the first king actually to have a televised address to get that

message on christmas day. it king george v delivered the first christmas message but that was via radio and grandfather king george was sick also delivered his via radio . it was delivered his via radio. it was only during the reign of queen elizabeth that we actually started to television christmas messages . started to television christmas messages. but started to television christmas messages . but the started to television christmas messages. but the king started to television christmas messages . but the king recorded messages. but the king recorded it's on december the 13th on that tuesday in choir of st george's chapel . very george's chapel. very significant that it was in george's chapel. and that is because is the final resting place of queen elizabeth. the second and her late husband's prince philip. so that is why perhaps the king is going to be paying perhaps the king is going to be paying tributes. his late mother in, that speech , the king has in, that speech, the king has the royal family's traditional christmas day church service in sandringham . the king and the sandringham. the king and the queen consort were joined by the prince and princess wales and their children , the earl and their children, the earl and countess of wessex . alongside countess of wessex. alongside them, this year's at sandringham is the first time the royal family spend christmas at the

norfolk residence since thousand and 19. over million americans and 19. over million americans and canadians are facing christmas day without power as a winter storm continues to sweep across the united states , across the united states, according to reports, weather related car accidents in the us have left at least 16 dead. nearly thousand flights were cancelled yesterday with some airports . new york's governor airports. new york's governor has declared a state of emergency and the prince and princess of wales have shared a festive picture painted by nine year old son, prince george. for those listening us on the radio, the painting shows a portrait of a reindeer in, the snow with a sky blue background alongside two robins and the message attached to the picture . merry attached to the picture. merry christmas . tv online attached to the picture. merry christmas. tv online and attached to the picture. merry christmas . tv online and the christmas. tv online and the plus radio. this is gb news. i'll be back with more news at the top of the hour .

the top of the hour. hello and welcome to gb news christmas special , hello and welcome to gb news christmas special, remembering our queen with me, alastair stewart . for the next hour, i'll stewart. for the next hour, i'll be by a host of guest who knew i'm not just me personally . i'm not just me personally. those who worked with the queen and royal experts and we will pay and royal experts and we will pay tribute to her life of service as we all embark our first christmas without her and the first under our. new so of the late queen say that she was a constant in my life is no exaggeration . i was born in no exaggeration. i was born in the year of her accession 1952.

i reported her death on the winning of several of her offspring and the birth of her as heir. i met her quite a few times in a personal capacity and on charitable duties . she was on charitable duties. she was charm and elegance personified. but her visit to my beloved ebony horse club in brixton captured for me, who she really was as a person and what she stood for as far away from buckingham palace as. stood for as far away from buckingham palace as . she buckingham palace as. she visited . because her daughter in visited. because her daughter in law camilla is president and royal patron of the ebony horse club . she met lots of young club. she met lots of young children of them from the wrong side of tracks, learning all about what she knew so very well, highlighting that anyone can thrive in life if they are supported and encourage , and supported and encourage, and that they will find no finer creatures in life than some of her beloved and ponies . now,

her beloved and ponies. now, there were lots of dignitaries there, too, but for her it was all about the children and, the horses. she seemed totally at peace and in her element and. thatis peace and in her element and. that is how i will always remember her. our late queen , a remember her. our late queen, a good woman and a lover of horses. gy royals who met the queen several occasions. his new biography offers insight into the intimate life of queen elizabeth, including how she dealt with the death of her own beloved husband philip. i spoke to him about his new book and. he paid his own tribute to , the late queen tribute to, the late queen elizabeth. gyles brandreth , your elizabeth. gyles brandreth, your latest book is about friendship. it's love. it's working together

. but also, it does exactly what it says on the title page. it is an intimate portrait . that's an intimate portrait. that's what i wanted to achieve. a couple of days before the queen's death . i happened to be queen's death. i happened to be at windsor castle in the royal library. and there showed me a portrait of elizabeth first. first of all, a reminder that we've had a royal family in this country for more than a thousand years. and they said to this portrait was the past. it was one that she sent to her brother edward the sixth. they were both the children of andrew the eighth. and with the portrait went a letter from elizabeth, the first written in her beautiful hand writing, in which she said , i'm sending you this she said, i'm sending you this outward image of myself, but i love to share with you my mind . love to share with you my mind. and i thought to myself, i'm writing book. wouldn't it be wonderful to try and reveal to people the inward mind of elizabeth, the second. we all

know what she looked like, but what she really like? and what was she really like? and since lucky enough, meet since i was lucky enough, meet her ago. first time her many years ago. first time was the 2nd of may, 1968. i give you the date because i keep a diary. and she went to remember the people that she met most of them because she met tens of thousands of people. but anyone who ever met the queen can remember that moment. and because keep i kept because i keep a diary i kept a record of all my encounters with the were many over the queen there were many over the queen there were many over the from that first the years from that first encounter a student encounter when i was a student aged 20 at oxford university. she 42. she came and the she was 42. she came and the first thing i noticed was how the atmosphere in, the room changed. nobody ever normal with the there was a kind of the queen. there was a kind of invisible motor round up. and yet was always normal yet she was always normal herself. she was always herself. but everybody responded in a different way. the other thing noficed different way. the other thing noticed on that first day was i reprimanded, the president of the union, william waldegrave, who was a couple of years older than because we were going than me because we were going into the oxford union. he wasn't carrying her umbrella. it was raining. i said, you should

carried the queen's umbrella. he said, majesty said, oh, no, no. her majesty insists her own. insists on carrying her own. otherwise, the rain trickles her neck. otherwise, the rain trickles her neck . so i wanted to write neck. so i wanted to write a book that showed you what she was really like. i think you have done that, but it also touches upon another very, very serious point. this relationship with , the late duke of edinburgh with, the late duke of edinburgh . and that was as result of shared interest and working it court frippery queuing up but some line up to hands and be introduced. this you and him caring passionately about something that very few people would have thought of immediately as being a shared passion between the late duke edinburgh and gyles brandreth. well i've met the duke of edinburgh because i got involved in a charity called the national playing association. playing fields association. now, fields reason fields interest and the reason the edinburgh was the duke of edinburgh was involved it was founded involved is that it was founded by queen's father who became by the queen's father who became george the sixth when he was duke of york in the 1920s. and was to look after playing

fields, playgrounds recreation sport young people. and the sport for young people. and the duke it on his duke of edinburgh took it on his first when. he first national charity when. he married back married princess elizabeth back in was his passion in 47. and it was his passion project and, i became involved and got to meet him and found he was a very different person from the caricature that most of us got to know. and he asked me to write a short biography of him, which i did, which was quite challenging because i had to it into him and he had to, you know, he corrected and it was all a bit frightening. but through him i got to meet the queen. and then later when i was a of parliament, i got to a member of parliament, i got to meet the queen of and to see that relationship was fascinating at close hands. they weren't lovey dovey . the modern weren't lovey dovey. the modern weather and no photographs anyway queen prince anyway of the queen and prince philip kissing philip holding hands or kissing . were well, they were . but they were well, they were a team. was extraordinary about the queen is when she made commitment kept it. i think commitment she kept it. i think one of the reasons that people were so moved she died wasn't simply our longest serving

monarch, wasn't to see somebody who's . commitment was was so who's. commitment was was so real over so many years. was it 7 real over so many years. was it ? it was a rather unusual person in a dark world. what's the news you to see what's happening in ukraine you think actually here's somebody who was good and i felt at the time of the funeral people are almost reaching out to touch that goodness generation goodness whatever generation they was they were somebody who was consistent kept their word consistent kind kept their word and her marriage to prince philip was extraordinary and she accepted him for who he was. and i think accepted each other for who they were. you are one of the most well—read people i know, and you've written a number of really impressive of biographies and books about the royal family with their lines in producer this that you imposed upon yourself that you could not cross , that there were cross, that there were restrictions that you placed upon that because you had had that intimate private access over the years . that was quite over the years. that was quite a challenge because i didn't want to put particularly ladies in

waiting, people who've been around in a difficult position by and i didn't want to quote anybody so that the challenge i decided not to show the book living members the royal family before publishing it which i did with my duke of edinburgh book. but to reasons one, i thought, actually, i don't think they'll want to read it. the reason i say that is that somebody told me that they had the film me that they had when the film the speech out, it the king's speech out, it was rather moving film about rather a moving film about george the sixth and his speech impediment . somebody said to the impediment. somebody said to the queen, it's wonderful film, as you and she said, well, you see it. and she said, well, why would i want to? it's about my parents . i knew them . and my parents. i knew them. and this is a book for people who don't know the queen to show how to you so that maybe people who did know. why? why would you want to read it? well, there a number of revelations , as it number of revelations, as it were, within it. and been serialised in one of the newspapers, as well as being available . and i thoroughly

available. and i thoroughly recommend people to get a copy of it and read it from cover to coven of it and read it from cover to cover. perhaps the most shocking revelation is that death certificate says that she died of old age . not so . certificate says that she died of old age. not so . i certificate says that she died of old age . not so . i don't of old age. not so. i don't think it's shocking . i felt think it's shocking. i felt i was writing a biography . and it was writing a biography. and it has to go from birth to death. and so i was simply reporting that i had heard that she had a form of a bone cancer. and but i wasn't surprised . and i wasn't surprised. and i predicted that the death certificate would say old age, because when a patient is over the age of about 80 and when person signing the death certificate has been doctor for some years , that is one of the some years, that is one of the opfions some years, that is one of the options that is open to them. and to do that was the case with the duke of edinburgh. i, i felt as a reporter it is a biography i should put what i knew on the page. i should put what i knew on the page . but you're right.

i should put what i knew on the page . but you're right . are you page. but you're right. are you intruding on privacy ? and in intruding on privacy? and in a sense i am, because i'm quoting from conversations with the queen, which i not have done dunng queen, which i not have done during her lifetime , but i've during her lifetime, but i've doneit during her lifetime, but i've done it because i wanted people to know . people i think done it because i wanted people to know. people i think did done it because i wanted people to know . people i think did know to know. people i think did know are compassionate was and also how sharp she was. but they maybe didn't realise. what a wry sense of humour she had . we got sense of humour she had. we got a of that when we got a flavour of that when we got most only earlier this most recently, only earlier this yean most recently, only earlier this year, know jubilee the year, you know jubilee the wonderful paddington bask . but wonderful paddington bask. but she did have this wonderful sense of humour and she had a side to it which we didn't often see. she was a quite a shy , i see. she was a quite a shy, i think. and as happens sometimes with actors are shy. they come to life on the stage . and i did to life on the stage. and i did have an interesting conversation with about the war years and she talked about her father during the war of the father her father was a really important person in her life and incidentally the anniversary of his death , he anniversary of his death, he died from cancer. she would always , almost always on that

always, almost always on that particular day around. then visit a cancer hospital or , a visit a cancer hospital or, a hospice. she was very aware of all her life. so for her war years, her father at her father leading the country, winston, these were important figures . these were important figures. but privately, what she loved with the entertainers who came to windsor castle to entertain the royal family at time, to make people smile, laugh, realised who she was. she had a sense of humour. she wasn't frivolous . she she took serious frivolous. she she took serious things, serious sleep. and you mentioned how she'd met everyone. and she was very careful . she would never betray careful. she would never betray who she liked most because she was very evenhanded . two things was very evenhanded. two things i'd say to you. one is, i going to the royal variety show her sitting in the royal box , and sitting in the royal box, and they knew that if liked , act they knew that if liked, act would be loud in his applause. and then he'd look at the programme and say, oh, not elton john again . programme and say, oh, not elton john again. but programme and say, oh, not elton john again . but queen was john again. but the queen was very evenhanded . everyone, the very evenhanded. everyone, the same applause . and i same amount of applause. and i said her at the interval, you said to her at the interval, you seem to enjoy the puzzle very

much. which did. i said, much. which i did. i said, you seem enjoy act equally. did seem to enjoy act equally. did you. and she said, well, perhaps not entirely like to not entirely, but i like to applaud everybody in case, because this is on television in case families are looking case their families are looking . oh. and actually she that's really considerate. she was very thoughtful like that. and the only exception i found when trying to tease out of her who that she'd met, was that she'd met, that was particularly interesting, memorable. had met memorable. and she had met everybody from marilyn monroe and sinatra through to and frank sinatra through to madonna and even vladimir putin. she'd met everybody . the one she'd met everybody. the one exception to mentioning somebody that she would give would be nelson mandela . and she admired nelson mandela. and she admired him so much . she's said this him so much. she's said this because had emerged from 27 years in prison without any rancour. you wrote several very pieces when she . and obviously pieces when she. and obviously the book is now here before us and people will upon the content of it . but i'm going to i boil of it. but i'm going to i boil you as an old chum and simply

ask you this , what is your ask you this, what is your personal tribute to her? what i think is remarkable about the queen is that it's her personality, her nature , values, personality, her nature, values, that we want to remember and cherish when . she died. there cherish when. she died. there were in london on day for her funeral , were in london on day for her funeral, more heads of state, more prime ministers presidents that had ever gathered in any one city before at one time when queen victoria died, the world mourned. she was then our longest reigning sovereign, but she had executive power . she she had executive power. she could do things the couldn't do anything. the queen only be what she was . and you know in queen she was. and you know in queen victoria died we were the number one country now with the 21st most populous country in the world sixth largest gdp . and yet world sixth largest gdp. and yet that woman personified the best of british. so what's not to be

grateful for and to have lived such a long life and remain so to have being an exemplar of goodness? well, it's fantastic . goodness? well, it's fantastic. you said earlier that she was very clear in conversation with you and others that she owed so to her father, who she adored . to her father, who she adored. but the philosophy, the of engagement of the job. she got a lot it. it struck very powerfully from the of charles king charles iii that he drew so much from his mother. i mean, that very first speech to the nafion that very first speech to the nation she could have written, it was an echo of one of her most famous speeches and. it was remarkable. was that recognition of what you can learn from later and later and passed down through the generations perhaps one of her greatest gifts to him. well think the way the transition happened has been brilliant . i

transition happened has been brilliant. i mean, he hit the ground running, but obviously morning and yet he's had all the right things on the first day. and i thought, yes it's going to be all right . and also, he made be all right. and also, he made it crystal clear that he was going to be a constitutional monarch. nothing ever , you know, monarch. nothing ever, you know, set in stone there will be changes. but basically , he is changes. but basically, he is taking on from her just as the queen consort is on from the duke of edinburgh at that birthday lunch that i referred to. she said that she was going to. she said that she was going to his rule look up, look out, say less , do more. get on with say less, do more. get on with the job. that's what they're both going to do . and i wish both going to do. and i wish them all the best of luck. may i just say thank for your friendship and over many, many years and for your kind support of gb news upon which you appear as often as we ask you to, which is lovely. and i we wish you a very happy christmas. and i'd like, wish you a very happy christmas, a peaceful new year. and whichever of us two lives the longest , we'll be to the longest, we'll be there to make the tributes. so if that is

to goes before i do, i should be saying some very nice words about him. but if i go before you do, i would delighted to you do, i would be delighted to reciprocate or or just reciprocate or or get just a little ahead of him . but i'm not little ahead of him. but i'm not going to open a book on the odds. brandreth , thank you odds. gyles brandreth, thank you so much . looking ahead so much. looking ahead to this afternoon and the uk looking mild for most and some sunny spells, but also with showery rain. take a look at the details starting off. looking at scotland and here there will be some showery across southern parts this afternoon whilst colder air brings snow showers from the north later on it will be very wet for a across northern ireland as a band. heavy showery rain pushes eastwards with some strong winds the same band showery rain will push across the north—west england too, though it will take a bit of time to push across all parts sunny spells for much

wales this afternoon with a few showers feeding in from the north—west turning wetter later as the band of showery rain sweeps across temperatures widely in double figures . widely in double figures. meanwhile it's looking mostly dry with decent sunny breaks across much of the east midlands. more parts may have a little rain for time, but this should clear through the afternoon . a similar picture afternoon. a similar picture across east anglia. that will be some light rain for a time. mainly essex, but for most it will be fine and dry with sunny spells across southern countries. the earlier rain will be clearing away to the east. meanwhile, we can expect some further in the west with some sunny spells in between the band of showery rain will continue southeast with later with colder air from the north bringing some snow showers and that is how the weather is shaping up for the rest of the we are gb news the peoples channel and right across the kingdom. you can find us on sky channel five. one, two virgin media . channel 2604

virgin media. channel 2604 freesat channel 216 freeview channel 236 and youview channel three six. you can also take us with you on disney plus radio with you on disney plus radio with the gb news app and at the website gbnews.uk where absolutely everywhere. come join us on gb news. the people's channel britain's news.

channel welcome back. in june this year, the whole of the united kingdom joined in what was the biggest party of the century . as we mark party of the century. as we mark the queen's magnificent 70 year reign , making her the longest reign, making her the longest ever serving monarch. platinum jubilee saw a weekend full of events, including the historic trooping the colour a service of thanksgiving and the platinum jubilee party at the palace dunng. jubilee party at the palace during . the jubilee weekend. the

during. the jubilee weekend. the queen missed a number of events due to ill health, but the was surprised when she along with the other working royals, made an appearance on the balcony at buckingham palace to wave to thousands of well—wishers and of course, watch beloved red arrows fly over the palace . well, fly over the palace. well, joining me now to take a look back at the whole weekend is royal commentator and expert. my good friend buckland. jenny, with respect , are literally one with respect, are literally one of those been there done it royal correspondents but did you everin royal correspondents but did you ever in your dreams and imaginings think be covering this amazing jubilee event? oh, my me. no, i don't think even with the best word in the world of us thought that the late queen now would manage to reign for a full 70 years and that grand old age take part. minimally, in those wonderful . minimally, in those wonderful. it was a fantastic event. what struck me well and i wonder if

it struck you, too, that it was a magic mixture of the of the formal the, traditional and the very, very informal out on the streets of her majesty's kingdom. yeah, i in many ways, it followed the pattern of previous jubilees. there is a sort of routine to it, but there was a special joy about this one, a celebration unlike any other, as you say . and it's other, as you say. and it's a wonderful mix the bazaars and the pageantry, the formality , the pageantry, the formality, the pageantry, the formality, the informality, the craziness of that concert and the magic moment of seeing her majesty the queen having tea with paddington bear.i queen having tea with paddington bear. i mean, that's the moment that i remember the rest of the family played a blinder as particularly the children, the very young children . well. i very young children. well. i mean, it was clearly a family , mean, it was clearly a family, but goodness me, it was a very cleverly constructed tableau so

tableau of this family. it nodded toward the future . yes, nodded toward the future. yes, it did. yes, i think remembers that louis rather misbehaving as the cubs progressed. it was a long concert for children to sit through and it was lovely to see little elvis sitting on his grandfather's knee. charles look very at home, looking after the kids . and as you say, we saw the kids. and as you say, we saw the members of the family, the at many of the events and the concert. we saw the extended family actually was on mike tindall then when he was joking around with george so it was a delightful delightful event made into i think by tableau of the queen with bear and that she had kept a secret a secret from her family and everyone's so when they saw her come up on screen that you know pulling a mamma marmalade sandwich from a bag that they were absolutely gobsmacked . one other thing i gobsmacked. one other thing i wanted your thoughts on, and i suspect that it did have the late queen's all over it . and

late queen's all over it. and that was the imagery of the family in the sense of an heir, an heir apparent and an heir presumed have here they are . he presumed have here they are. he all the special ones . here are all the special ones. here are the ones who will carry on the good work. yes, i think . it had good work. yes, i think. it had the queen's fingerprints . it but the queen's fingerprints. it but also charles, as we all know that charles has been intent on making it known that he thinks that the monarchy should be slimmer, sleeker , fewer, slimmer, sleeker, fewer, whatever you want to call them. hangers on in of extended and of well core working royals within that a core of the immediate successors to the throne . as you successors to the throne. as you say, that was the emphasis . and say, that was the emphasis. and again, we were seeing those absolute key members in direct line of succession to the throne, and that's the message that was put . there's plenty of that was put. there's plenty of them now. the succession is certainly guaranteed because charlotte can take over if

necessary the anything that's happened to george and then we've got louis. so we've got the kings and maybe queens of succession sort of family there . let me finish with that with the personal, because obviously with with the death of the queen he not only became the king a job for which he had been waiting a very long time, but he also became the head of the family . and at this time of family. and at this time of yean family. and at this time of year, we all know that for the royal family, it's as perhaps even more important than for ordinary families up and down the land . how do you imagine the land. how do you imagine will be for them trying to host and enjoy celebrate this first christmas without the matriarch. well it is going to be a difficult christmas for them. they're going to gather at sandringham and most of them don't think harry and meghan will be there. but the rest of

they're going to gather at sandringham and obviously there will be the empty chair whether actually leave it empty i don't know the absence of the queen obviously will be keenly , keenly obviously will be keenly, keenly felt not just by the but when we watch them go church. we've been so used to the image of the queen arriving lately in the castle and being there at the head of the family. now, that's charles. it's a bit of a poisoned chalice, really, because it's always it's quite a troubled family in so many ways, as we've seen in recent weeks months. but that is his job now, not only to be our head of state, but head of that and christmas, hopefully will be a time when they put any behind them, get round table and tuck into their let us hope indeed and them well. and jenny , for and them well. and jenny, for all of your kindness, friendship and over the year may we at gb news also you a very happy

christmas a peaceful new year. jenny, thank you so much for youn jenny, thank you so much for your. you, too. thank you . your. you, too. thank you. i'm michael portillo, join me on gb news on a sunday morning for topical discussion , debate, arts topical discussion, debate, arts and culture and sometimes even and culture and sometimes even an ethical dilemmas. i don't always agree with you michael. michael portillo sunday is on gb news the people who channel britain's news . we are gb news britain's news. we are gb news the people's channel right across the united kingdom . you across the united kingdom. you can find us on sky channel 512 virgin media channel 604 freesat channel 216 freeview channel 236 and youview channel 236. you can also take us with you on dab+ with the gb news app and at the website gbnews.uk. we're absolutely everywhere. come join us on gb news. the people's

channel. britain's news . channel channel. britain's news. channel but many of across the united kingdom and commonwealth see queen's speech was a staple of christmas day festivities . in christmas day festivities. in her own words was like no other , and her familiar elegance and presence will surely be missed with address that she delivered , her majesty would share her personal reflections the year that had passed. touching on everything from , global events everything from, global events and current issues to national highlight personal losses or gains, she gave thanks and always managed inspire motivate and touch the hearts of all of us. they were truly her speeches and decided on everything that went into them. even to the little photographs appeared

beside her every year to us, an insight and a reflection upon all of that. i caught up with majesty's former press officer, dickie arbiter, who witnessed first hand how they were written , produced and delivered . you , produced and delivered. you were one of the consummate professionals in communicating what the queen was doing. why was doing it? what the significance of it was . but when significance of it was. but when the moment came for her to speak directly to the nation, it was always moment of significance. it was a moment of significance. and i think we need to put this into context because. you say when she was ready to speak the nation, she wasn't just speaking to the nation, united kingdom. this the commonwealth this the queen's commonwealth christmas message. so she was speaking now today in 2022, the king be doing it to 54 nations because it was reaching to the commonwealth in much the same way as her grandfather in her

his first christmas message in 1932 reaching out to the empire was his way of getting out there. and it was the queen's way in her life of getting out to commonwealth. in her own words . was that a in terms of words. was that a in terms of content you mentioned important early the commonwealth, but did did the late queen have a of yeah these are the five things that must be included in a monarch's christmas address . the monarch's christmas address. the queen was always fastidious about what went into the address was key to it she was a very religious person not just because she was a governor of the church of england . she was the church of england. she was a religious person. she was brought up with religion and that carried her through her life . the family was important . life. the family was important. and in terms of a message there the separation of families be it through confer licked it by being on duty or being by demise was also very important to her.

so they were key elements to these these christmas messages i should add here and now they were her christmas messages . she were her christmas messages. she wrote them. yes would get a bit of feedback from prince philip. she would always bounce from of him . but it was the only time him. but it was the only time the year where she could express, in her words and not somebody else's like state opening of parliament, which was downing street's speech. the other thing picked up and i'm not breaching any confidences at all, but from from from senior people who were involved on occasion in recording the television . one was that she was television. one was that she was an absolute stickler for what we'd call set dressing and which pictures were either on the table or the desk or imagery that was in background. and she wanted to make absolutely crystal clear that what she wanted was there and that it could be seen properly because it was there for a purpose. it there for a purpose. it was message. and therefore, her the set had to be dressed properly .

set had to be dressed properly. it was very important to the late queen that the setting was absolutely right . the absolutely right. the photographs were important to her it wasn't a case of her because it wasn't a case of who was in and who was out. it was something that had to fit the ambience to fit the message. i mean, for example, when william and catherine got married in 2011, there were pictures , all of them on her pictures, all of them on her desk , quite rightly so . that was desk, quite rightly so. that was her choice. and people sort of looked into it . oh, yeah, she's looked into it. oh, yeah, she's sending out a message here . but sending out a message here. but if you interpret the message, then so be it. as far as she was concerned , her message, her concerned, her message, her dressing. yes. when she addressed the nation during the pandemic , there were lots of pandemic, there were lots of people in the media and in the world of politics. this is something that uniquely she can get right, because we're all having a tough time of it. we're losing loved ones. we're not being able to go out and about. we're in dire economic straits and all the rest of it. she's the only who can get it right. and goodness, thanks to, vera

lynn. she got it. absolutely on. she was spot on and she is like everybody else she's being locked in can't around in the way that she would want to can't do engagements in the way that she would want to and is locked in with prince philip and incidentally that putting in a penod incidentally that putting in a period of covid is the longest penod period of covid is the longest period both she and prince philip had spent together in their 73 years of marriage. so it was unique in that respect, but it was an opportunity for her to talk to people about not just how she felt, but how the country felt and how must all work together to beat this evil and who forget on the 5th of april 20, 20, those immortal words , we will see our friends words, we will see our friends again . we will see our families again. we will see our families again. we will see our families again. we will see our families again. we will meet again. she got it absolutely right. and those immortal words will live on forever. and the day you mention right at the beginning

of the conversation, dickie and i want to return to it that , i want to return to it that, too. the late queen , the too. the late queen, the religious, the faith dimension of christmas was was tremendously important . on tremendously important. on several occasions you alluded to the enormous importance family to her and to that family. the enormous importance family to her and to that family . this to her and to that family. this the first christmas, of course, without her many duties fall to king, not only as head of state, also now as head of family as well. and final point i want to pick up is the one that you made just then about. and when it is a traditional thing, she gets that right. but there is a little latitude on other occasions, christmas for her was a perfect of both and she liked the traditional , she liked the the traditional, she liked the old stuff and she wasn't averse to a little bit of the what will christmas be like this year in your imagination? for me, the queen will be missing. i was still trying to come to terms

with the fact that she is no longer us. but having said that to watching the king, he hit the ground running shortly after she died . and he's been doing an died. and he's been doing an incredible job, as has the queen consort . so we have to move as consort. so we have to move as she would wish . the king's she would wish. the king's message will be probably in the same family, religion because he is religious as. same family, religion because he is religious as . well, he is is religious as. well, he is another one type person. i've worked when i was working for him as his press secretary many times. we go and do pieces to camera, particularly for the prince's trust , camera, particularly for the prince's trust, and it would be one take if he wanted to do something again. it was because maybe a bird had tweeted or something had dropped . but he is something had dropped. but he is a consummate professional when it comes television and addressing, as we saw after the death of his mother . so it will death of his mother. so it will be a different message, but it will carry the same message , the

will carry the same message, the message of religion , the message message of religion, the message of christmas the message of the family. we will see the king in a new light . the family. we will see the king in a new light. the family will mean a lot to him. the of his mother. and i'd be surprised there wasn't mention of his mother in his christmas . well mother in his christmas. well i'm sure you and i won't be alone in. it's one of the highest rated television programmes every year. dickie, on a personal note, thank you for your friendship and support and loyalty to us over the year . it's always been a pleasure working with you, particularly in in in recent times here in the in in recent times here at gb news. thank you very much indeed for your kindness and your friendship and may we all wish you happy christmas wish you a very happy christmas and year. i wish you and a peaceful year. i wish you and a peaceful year. i wish you and all of a very happy christmas and all the very best for 2023 .

on the evening of thursday, the 8th of september, buckingham palace announced the death of her queen elizabeth, the second it said her majesty died peacefully at her scottish estate , balmoral, where she estate, balmoral, where she spent lot of her time . what spent lot of her time. what followed was ten days of state mourning . history was made as we mourning. history was made as we watched the queen make her final from scotland to london. queues upon queues across london were formed so that the public could pay formed so that the public could pay their personal respects to her majesty as she lay in state in westminster hall, we watched on as the grieving paid their own respects well through the vigils they held and then we all came together on the day of the funeral as a country and across

the globe said farewell to our beloved queen . the death of the beloved queen. the death of the queen marks , the end of the queen marks, the end of the longest ever reign of a british monarch. and the beginning of a new era under king charles, the third, we were all witnesses to history. as for the first time even history. as for the first time ever, the of our head state was televised i caught up with royal historian david starkey who sat me for the majority . our me for the majority. our coverage of the death of queen elizabeth here at how did david starkey feel personally when he heard that queen the second had died . dare i say what i really died. dare i say what i really felt ? not much died. dare i say what i really felt? not much . i i, i cannot do felt? not much. i i, i cannot do what clearly so many people genuinely felt . the sense that genuinely felt. the sense that somebody was personal to me had gone.i somebody was personal to me had gone. i didn't that i didn't

feel that with diana that was, you know , this is extraordinary. you know, this is extraordinary. it's a case my view of the pathetic fallacy of imagining that there's a personal connection when there isn't. but it is of the magic of monarchy. so she in and out of my life as she did so many people. and so it's that train of memory that was triggered . and then, of was triggered. and then, of course, the that actually this now literally is history. but i think you key historic and even political point is that on several occasions our coverage you repeat did that crucial truth which is encapsulated in that observation that we've seen in historic films that we've read in historic biography and what have you and it's about the monarchy. the queen is dead, comma . long live the king at comma. long live the king at that moment being then . yes, it that moment being then. yes, it is. it at that moment in one

sense. and we saw very literally immediately and despite his very evident personal grief . the king evident personal grief. the king insists simply stepping into shoes and doing it in a way that in some ways not in actually let's eliminate the moderator that was much more than his mother and curious curator next area i want to talk is . the of area i want to talk is. the of invention and the mixture of tradition for the for the great events that then unfolded an awful lot of this had to be done because it was semi constitutional it was how it had always been done. but in terms of services , involvement and of services, involvement and folk , her fingerprints were over folk, her fingerprints were over all of it personal choices , all of it personal choices, personal decisions going way back. yeah, i think , i think it back. yeah, i think, i think it it was also again , the, the it was also again, the, the chance possibility of her of her

in scotland had already factored in. so there was a kind of supplementary to operation london bridge, which was which would be again the fact that the fact that your death sounds like a military exercise , which of a military exercise, which of course it very much was . and you course it very much was. and you then had all that worked out again it's very difficult because we have not actually be we none of us were fully . to the we none of us were fully. to the to which things were modified by the accident of circumstance or modified by the decisions of the king. the accession council , king. the accession council, where and i think it's reasonable to remind folk who are kind enough to be listening and watching this conversation that you and i got very excited about it because this was a first this was the first time the accession council been televised. the accession council was a sort of brief abstract of the history of the monarchy and its constitutional significance,

just worked out for you that the idea that the king waits outside whilst they decide whether really is the king of his first speech to the nation. you mentioned a little earlier on when we were reflecting upon that on our coverage, you said he has bad his soul. that on our coverage, you said he has bad his soul . we now know he has bad his soul. we now know a little deep down of what makes new king tick. i felt strongly i mean, he he said that he'd no need to say they were wise, that he said . but he made need to say they were wise, that he said. but he made clear awareness of fact that many people had felt that he had overstepped his role as prince. he offered a direct assurance that he understood that being king was different, he , as it king was different, he, as it were, embraced limitations on his new role . and what is very his new role. and what is very striking, isn't it? i mean, he's had the most dramatic of tests, which from prime minister, who proved to be , you know, this

proved to be, you know, this extraordinary figure who preaches to reigns but barely last three weeks, not going to the summit . the thing that that the summit. the thing that that for him represented the enduring commitment of a lifetime simply saying right i can't. commitment of a lifetime simply saying right i can't . and that saying right i can't. and that seems to me again to be a remarkably dramatic embodiment of i think, his self—awareness. i want to take you back to the great hall of westminster and not firth for the king's speech, but for the lying in state there the london last night we talked about the one that tells tales giles is already we were both deeply moved by that for a whole range of reasons. the first part was sheer volume of subjects. the citizenry who queued most , the citizenry who queued most, them queued and waited for ages and ages to get all 4 seconds. but also the role of the family, the prince's vigil, the grandchildren talk a little

about how that struck you because really did at the time. i remember that very poignantly. it gives that the most powerful of the combination of the of the of the combination of the of the of the combination of the of the of the personal and the office and you could you one of the things, again, that strikes you repeatedly through this is and i speak as atheist people , have speak as atheist people, have a longing for a meaning goes beyond themselves that gives some sort of structure to their their family's life, their countries and you don't just get it in grandiose historical documents. it's that what anthropologists call the liminal moments birth, death , marriage moments birth, death, marriage and what monarchy does, of course, in the mostram fashion, possible is to combine the personal and the gigantically in

personal. and you could see it in the way people were reacting. the expression on the king's face. i mean, i think . i there face. i mean, i think. i there were times when i felt one should be inured to it and particularly having been on both of the television camera and but you could see that the tension i think it was there i felt the tension most strongly between what he was going through privately and publicly . finally, privately and publicly. finally, as he leads the festivities and attends church , everything else attends church, everything else that families always done at christmas time as the head of that family as well as our head of state. he is surrounded by good people . true he is he also good people. true he is he also surrounded by family tension christmas traditionally a time and we the fact that the

tensions with one of his sons . tensions with one of his sons. um that think we should all feel rather sad about. i think it is sad it a it is a blemish it's a flaw. um, and it's a pity that it's been as brutally exploited today as it has with queen is now buried alongside her beloved husband prince philip. her mother and her sister in the king george, the memorial chapel in the grounds of windsor castle . and there we have it. you've watching remembering our queen with me, alastair stewart . we with me, alastair stewart. we will always remember her. despite this year's highs and lows, we have much look forward to in 2023 under our new monarch thank you very much indeed for joining us. and i'll see you in the new year year.

we are gb news the people's channel. i'm right across united kingdom. you can find us on sky channel 512 virgin media . channel 512 virgin media. channel 512 virgin media. channel 2604 freesat channel 216 freeview channel 236 and youview channel 236. you can also take us with you on dab plus radio with the gb news app and that the website gbnews.uk. we're absolutely everywhere. come join on tv news. the people's channel britain's news. channel looking ahead to this afternoon and uk is looking mild most and some sunny spells also windy with showery . let's take a look at showery. let's take a look at the details starting off. looking at scotland and here there will be some showery across southern parts this afternoon whilst colder air bnngs afternoon whilst colder air brings snow out less from the north later on it will be very wet for a time across northern

ireland as a band of heavy showery rain pushes eastwards with some strong winds . the same with some strong winds. the same band of showery rain will push across north western england , across north western england, though it will take a bit of time to push across all parts sunny spells for much of wales this afternoon with a few showers feeding in from the north—west turning wetter later as the band of showery rain sweeps across widely in double figures . meanwhile, it's looking figures. meanwhile, it's looking mostly dry with decent sunny breaks across much of the east midlands more southern parts may have a little rain for a time, but this should clear through the afternoon . a similar picture the afternoon. a similar picture across east anglia . that will be across east anglia. that will be some mostly light for a time, mainly across essex , but for mainly across essex, but for most it will be fine and dry with sunny spells across southern countries. the earlier rain will clearing away to the east. meanwhile can expect some further showers in west with some sunny spells in the band of showery rain will continue south eastwards later with colder air from the north, some snow

showers and that is how the weather is shaping up for the rest of day .