The Queen will acknowledge the "bumpy" path the royal family and the nation has experienced over the last year during her Christmas Day message.

In the short recorded piece which will air at 3pm on Premier Christian Radio on Wednesday, Her Majesty will talk about the importance of working together to put difficulties behind us.

Speaking about the life of Jesus and the importance of reconciliation, she will say: "...how small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding...

"The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference."

Commentators suggest her speech is a nod to a year of personal difficulties which saw the Duke of Edinburgh involved in a dramatic car accident, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex speaking about their struggles living in the public eye and the Duke of York giving a disastrous television interview about his friendship with a convicted sex offender.

The message, produced by the BBC, was recorded in Windsor Castle's green drawing room after the general election but before Philip was admitted to a private London hospital for treatment for a pre-existing but undisclosed condition.

The Queen is filmed sitting at a desk featuring photographs of her family with a large Christmas tree in the background.

One picture shows the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - perched on and around a motorbike and side car - an image used for the couple's Christmas card.

(additional reporting from Press Association)