Shirley Tart reviews the Queen's Speech

Unusually, the "speech of the year" had been widely circulated before the event,

And with its message of standing alongside those hit hardest by credit crunch, recession and fear for the future, the Queen's Christmas message deserved the widest audience but also took the greatest risk.

She always knows that speaking from a palace to those who are on the breadline can be an uncomfortable mission.

And while a brave face has been put on for Christmas, come 2009 times for millions are set to get tougher.

This 82-year-old Queen who has reigned for nearly 60 years, gaining respect, winning affection and becoming a force for unity and constancy, has also had to do a balancing act at the most sensitive times in our society.

The death of Princess Diana which saw a nation in grief, was a good example.

And now, when we seem to face the most sobering economic times in decades – some would say even farther back than the start of this Elizabethan reign – once more, the Queen has to tread a careful path.

She can't deny that she lives in palaces and castles but she can talk as she did yesterday about family, values, uncertainties and show an understanding that while this is a season of celebration, it has become a sombre time for many – in war zones as well as economies.

As a mum and grandmother, she talked of experiences in her own family life and of her pride in her 60-year-old son.

It was all underpinned by a tribute to people who unselfishly help and support those around them.

It seemed, she said, that the happiest and most fulfilled of us were those who were outgoing and served others.

In keeping with her Christian faith, she added: "The best example is of Jesus of Nazareth who lived an outgoing life and made it clear that happiness lies more in giving than receiving."

Maybe it is no longer everyone's belief but one the Queen sees it as her duty to pass on.

The monarch's Christmas message dates back to the 1930s, this one has made it increasingly real and showed she does not flinch from addressing the issues of the day or sharing her own spiritual grounding.