On Oct. 13, 1940, with England reeling and Hitler’s army gaining momentum, Princess Elizabeth went on radio to console and encourage British children, thousands of whom had been dispatched to the English countryside, and to sanctuaries as far away as Canada, Australia and the United States.

“Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers,” Elizabeth told listeners. “My sister … and I feel so much for you, as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all.” The speech closed with the princess promising “that in the end all will be well” and rallying her global audience to put their trust and hope in God, who “will care for us and give us victory and peace.”

Elizabeth was 14.

The broadcast was a smashing success. Although it was addressed to the children of the empire, the picture of two innocent princesses braving it alone in the English countryside while a genocidal tyrant bombed their homeland and sought to kill their parents tugged firmly on the heartstrings of countless mothers and fathers the world over. The war didn’t turn on Elizabeth’s speech. But it was an important contribution to the effort early on to shore up moral support, as well as economic, political and military assistance, from England’s allies.

Equally as important, Elizabeth’s speech was a much-needed shot of inspiration and encouragement to millions of disenfranchised people. It was a stirring reminder that the British monarchy was willing to continue its legacy as a bulwark of faith, courage and fortitude in trial, that it was ready to serve and sacrifice for Britain, that it was ready to lead Britain, under God’s direction, through the storm and into the bright and tranquil world of tomorrow.

Elizabeth’s speech was exactly what Britain and the Western world needed from the British monarchy in the fall of 1940!

Seventy years later, it is exactly the kind of message that Britain and the rest of the world need to hear again from the British monarchy!

Sadly, this is exactly what Queen Elizabeth failed to deliver in her Christmas address to the nation last Saturday. The tradition of an annual Christmas broadcast was started in 1932 by Elizabeth’s grandfather, King George v. British royals deliver hundreds of speeches each year. But the Christmas address is unique. Not only is it aired live on national television and accessible to billions via the Internet, it is, as the Independentnoted, “one of the rare occasions when [the Queen] does not turn to the government for advice and is able to voice her own views” (emphasis mine).

What an opportunity.

2010 has been a terribly tumultuous year for England, as well as the rest of the world. For Queen Elizabeth, the Christmas address was an opportunity to recapture that moment in October 1940. To once again give her subjects, and every ear and heart that was prepared to listen, a desperately needed shot of hope and inspiration. To add to the royal family’s enduring legacy of being a beacon of courage and faith to the afflicted. To resurrect the reputation of the British monarchy as an institution with purpose and meaning, one with a strong moral and spiritual compass, and one that is ready to lead Britain, under God’s direction, into a brighter future.

But alas, the opportunity was squandered.

The speech began strong. The Queen invoked memories of King James vi of Scotland, specifically his decision to commission the production of the King James Bible. Next year marks the 400th anniversary of that translation, and for a few minutes the Queen eloquently recalled its enduring role as a force for creating unity and harmony in the Christian community and the kingdoms of England and Scotland. “Four hundred years later,” the Queen transitioned, “it is as important as ever to build communities and create harmony.”

How does the Queen of England propose we set about doing this?

“And one of the most powerful ways of doing this is through sport and games.”

How deflating!

Britain and the rest of the world is experiencing a time of massive upheaval, and the Queen’s solution for creating harmony is more sport and games!

Seriously, does anyone really think that “sport and games” really is “one of the most powerful ways” of forging peace in our suburbs, of building harmonious communities, of instilling peace and contentment between nations? In the speech, the Queen recalled the recent Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games, and observed how “during this past year of abundant sporting events I’ve seen for myself just how important sport is in bringing people together from all backgrounds, from all walks of life and from all age groups.”

That’s hard to swallow.

Do sports bring people together in one location? Sure. But people or nations existing together in the same geographic location does not imply peace and harmony. Perhaps some sporting events create a shallow peace for a fleeting moment. In general, most sports in this world foster disunity and breed an unhealthy spirit of competition. The typical English football match isn’t exactly a picture of peace and harmony.

Think back on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. On opening night, Russian President Vladimir Putin was sitting with world leaders, smiling, kissing cheeks and shaking hands, happily watching the festivities. Russia’s athletes were on the track with athletes from all over the world. Once again, the Olympic Games had brought nations together in peace, harmony and unity. Or so it appeared to those ignorant of the fact that 5,000 miles to the west, Putin’s tanks were rolling into Georgia.

Consider the 1936 Olympics, when countries from around the world descended on Berlin for sport and games. Perhaps there was a spirit of togetherness, a sense of harmony. If there was, it was fleeting. Less than two years later, Hitler annexed Austria. Months later, Nazi forces were occupying Czechoslovakia. By winter 1940, virtually all of Europe was at war; the athletes who had competed against each other in Berlin’s Olympic arenas were competing on the battlefields of World War ii. Only this time they weren’t competing for gold metals, but for life itself!

Of course, there is truth to the Queen’s assertion that sports and games teach “vital social skills” and cultivate a “positive team spirit” that can benefit communities. They do have the “power to help rehabilitate” and can revive a “sense of purpose, enjoyment and comradeship” in the injured or discouraged. But to sell sports and games as “one of the most powerful ways” of building communities and creating harmony is a travesty!

Moreover, by comparing the role of sports and games to the role of the King James Bible in building unity and creating peace between peoples, the Queen displayed a vulgar moral equivalence. Advocating sports and games as a mode of creating peace and harmony that is equally as effective as the King James Bible trivializes the accomplishment of King James vi and the pivotal truth contained in the Bible.

The fact the Queen failed to mention is that the very Bible of which she spoke contains the secret to attaining peace and unity! Jesus Christ gave beautiful instruction about how to attain peace and harmony, individually and collectively. He and His disciples never advocated “sport and games” as one of the “most powerful ways” of conflict resolution. Rather Jesus Christ, whom the Apostle Paul identified as the “Lord of peace,” taught that peace and unity come through the application of the knowledge and government of God. Individuals acquire the power to understand and apply God’s law when they possess and utilize the Spirit of God (Acts 2:17-18). When a person has this power flowing through him, and when he submits to God’s law and embraces His government, this naturally produces wonderful works, or, as the Apostle Paul called them, the “fruits of the Spirit,” which include “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22).

That’s practical, and it’s a solution that will get results!

You see, there is hope and inspiration to be found in this world. There are answers and solutions to the host of crises besieging Britain, and every other country on this planet. In fact, the Bible explains that the Queen herself sits on a royal throne that embodies this hope, that contains within its history and future the solutions to mankind’s many problems. Notice Luke 1:32, where God says that “he [Jesus] shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.“

We understand that this is a heavy truth, and we encourage you to prove it for yourself. To help you in this process, we’d like to offer two pieces of literature. The first is The United States and Britain in Prophecy, written by Herbert Armstrong. The second is The Key of David, written by Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry. But this passage in Luke 1, together with many others, reveals that when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His government on this Earth, He will rule from a royal throne—a royal throne and lineage that began with King David in Jerusalem in the 10th century b.c.

It may sound outrageous, but this truth is easily provable. The Queen of England today is part of the royal lineage of King David. Embedded within her throne, and in her royal heritage, is truth and knowledge that when fully digested will dazzle the mind. Now that is a message of hope and inspiration—and one that Queen Elizabeth ii, given the opportunity, ought to share with the world!