ON Christmas Day afternoon, millions will watch our Queen broadcast her annual Christmas message to her subjects and whoever else cares to watch.

Our family, like so many others, are now well scattered around the UK and other countries but it has always been something of a Christmas ritual that we should regard viewing the Sovereign’s message as a very important and pleasant part of celebrating Christmas.

The Queen usually treats us to a brief personal review of the past year, finishing with words of encouragement and hope. She never fails to include a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas and leaving viewers in no doubt that although being a believer in Jesus Christ has gone out of fashion for many, Her Majesty’s Christian faith remains steadfast and strong.

The fact that the British Monarchy is approaching the year 2017 enjoying massive public support is due in no small measure to the way Queen Elizabeth II approaches her duties as monarch and the way she sets such a powerful example to her own family and others.

My wife began life with republican views and with little respect for the royal family but over the years she has been turned into a staunch supporter of the monarchy by admiring Her Majesty’s way of leading the nation and seeing what by comparison the republicans have to offer if they ever get their way and oust the Royal Family.

When our Queen’s record-breaking reign does eventually come to an end, there is surely no doubt that history will show the way that she provided leadership, guidance and encouragement to the British Commonwealth so that it has developed and prospered.

Indeed, the value of the friendly relationships that have endured between the nations in membership of the Commonwealth may well turn out to be of significant benefit to our Government seeking new trade deals globally after Brexit.

Other members of the Royal Family contribute in very positive ways to the nation’s well-being. I am but one of hundreds of thousands of youngsters who have taken part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and benefited from doing so in so many ways.

The Prince’s Trust was born out of the desire by Prince Charles to provide a charity that gives practical help to young people needing a boost to get their lives back on track. The list of young people that owe a very great deal to the Prince’s initiative grows daily.

One wonders how many amongst the critics of the monarchy have the courage, skill and compassion to devote themselves to flying a helicopter air ambulance? The Duke of Cambridge is doing this and has won great respect and admiration for turning his flying skills learnt through military service into the life-saving work of flying air ambulances. He does this in the East of England but his work has placed a welcome focus on air ambulance charities operating in other parts of the UK.

In this short column I have touched on only a few of the ways that our monarchy brings benefit to the United Kingdom. It is certainly not a case of “all take and no give” as the republicans would like us to believe.

Through this column I should like to wish Her Majesty the Queen and her family a very happy Christmas and the hope that we have many more Christmas messages to come from her.

The true value of the monarchy is not in the power that it possesses but in the power it denies to others.

God save the Queen!