The Queen has spoken about her great-grandson Prince George in her Christmas broadcast, and said the birth of a baby allows people to think about the future with renewed “happiness and hope”.
In her traditional message to the nation, the Queen also made an observation about the future for new parents “life will never be quite the same again”.
After George’s christening in October, the royal family gathered for traditional photos to mark an event the head of state said was “a happy occasion”.
The Queen’s annual broadcast also featured behind-the-scenes footage taken at Clarence House as the royals posed for the christening pictures under the direction of celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son George was born on July 22 at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s hospital in central London.
When William and Kate left hospital to greet the world’s media waiting outside, they could not contain their happiness as they chatted about their baby.
The Queen saw him a few days later but it is thought this is the first time she has publicly talked at length about the boy who will one day be king.
Delivering the message, recorded this month at Buckingham Palace, she said: “Here at home my own family is a little larger this Christmas.
“As so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope.
“For the new parents, life will never be quite the same again.”
The main theme of the Queen’s seasonal message to the nation was reflection and she looked back over the past 12 months to the 60th anniversary of her coronation, celebrated with a national service in June.
She also looked forward to the Commonwealth Games being staged in Glasgow next year.